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Adaptive Unicast to Multicast Forwarding
draft-liu-mboned-adaptive-utom-00

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This is an older version of an Internet-Draft whose latest revision state is "Expired".
Authors Yisong Liu , Aijun Wang , Changwang Lin , Zheng Zhang , Yuanxiang Qiu , Yanrong Liang
Last updated 2024-07-04
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draft-liu-mboned-adaptive-utom-00
MBONED Working Group                                             Y. Liu
Internet-Draft                                             China Mobile
Intended status: Standards Track                                A. Wang
Expires: December 31, 2024                                China Telecom
                                                                 C. Lin
                                                   New H3C Technologies
                                                              Zh. Zhang
                                                        ZTE Corporation
                                                                 Y. Qiu
                                                   New H3C Technologies
                                                               Y. Liang
                                                        Ruijie Networks
                                                           July 4, 2024

                 Adaptive Unicast to Multicast Forwarding
                     draft-liu-mboned-adaptive-utom-00

Status of this Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
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   This Internet-Draft will expire on December 31, 2024.

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   Copyright (c) 2024 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors. All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents

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   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document. Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with
   respect to this document. Code Components extracted from this
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   warranty as described in the Simplified BSD License.

Abstract

   This document describes an adaptive optimization method of unicast
   forwarding for network devices to solve the problem that unicast
   service traffic takes up too much bandwidth of the IP carrier
   network under the point to multipoint scenarios.

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction...................................................3
      1.1. Requirements Language.....................................3
      1.2. Terminology...............................................3
   2. Adaptive Unicast to Multicast Forwarding Architecture..........3
   3. Device Role Definition.........................................4
   4. Optimization processing of unicast traffic forwarding..........6
      4.1. Multicast Group Member Management.........................6
      4.2. Packet Forwarding Optimization Process....................7
   5. Mapping Relationship Table Management..........................9
      5.1. Add Mapping Relationship Table Entries...................10
      5.2. Delete Mapping Relationship Table Entries................10
   6. IANA Considerations...........................................11
   7. Security Considerations.......................................11
   8. References....................................................11
      8.1. Normative References.....................................11
      8.2. Informative References...................................12
   9. Acknowledgments...............................................12
   Authors' Addresses...............................................13

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  1. Introduction

   For the point to multipoint service of existing Internet
   manufacturers, the Internet service system needs to be upgraded on a
   large scale to support point-to-point duplication encoding and
   distribution of multicast streams. For Internet manufacturers, the
   service pressure of unicast connection can be solved by other ways,
   such as expanding servers, which lacks the power of multicast
   transformation. However, for the network operators, the network
   bandwidth pressure brought by the Internet point to multipoint
   service is very large, and they do not gain additional benefits from
   it. Instead, they may occupy the bandwidth required by other
   services, and have to carry out network expansion to increase
   network investment costs.

   To solve this problem, this document proposes a method of adaptive
   unicast to multicast transmission for network devices.

1.1. Requirements Language

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
   "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in
   BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all
   capitals, as shown here.

1.2. Terminology

   The definitions of the basic terms are identical to those found in
   BGP Encodings and Procedures for Multicast in MPLS/BGP IP VPNs
   [RFC6514].

  2. Adaptive Unicast to Multicast Forwarding Architecture

   AS showed in Figure 1, both the head end system and the terminal
   system of Internet services do not need to be upgraded by multicast.
   Instead, the PE of the IP carrier network (act as multicast sender
   site) needs to identify the characteristics of the service and
   convert unicast and multicast according to the characteristics.

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                                IP Carrier Network
                      +--------------------------------------+
                      |      Native Multicast On-Net         |
                      |    (PIM, P2MP MPLS, BIER, etc)       |
      +----------+  +-------------+                          |
      | Internet |--|  Multicast  |                          |
      | Service  |  | Sender Site |                          |
      | Server   |  +-------------+                          |
      |          |    |  +--------------+  +--------------+  |
      +----------+    |  |   Multicast  |  |   Multicast  |  |
                      +--| Receiver Site|--| Receiver Site|--+
                         +--+-------+---+  +-------+------+
                            |       |              |
                           +-+     +-+            +-+
                           +-+     +-+            +-+
                            Terminal            Terminal
                             Users               Users

                             Figure 1

  3. Device Role Definition

   Taking Figure 2 as an example, introduce several key device roles in
   the adaptive forwarding optimization method for unicast traffic.

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                            +------------+
                            |  Internet  |
                            |  Service   |
                            |  Server    |
                            +---+----+---+
                                |    |
                         +------+    +-------+
                         |                   |
      +------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+-----+--------+
      |            |     R4    |       |    R5     |        |
      |            | Ingress PE|       | Ingress PE|        |
      |            +-----------+       +-----+-----+        |
      |                                                     |
      |                  IP Carrier Network                 |
      |                                                     |
      |  +---------+       +----------+       +----------+  |
      |  |    R1   |       |    R2    |       |    R3    |  |
      |  |Egress PE|       | Egress PE|       | Egress PE|  |
      +--+----+----+-------+-----+----+-------+-----+----+--+
              |                  |                  |
         +----+----+       +-----+----+       +-----+----+
         | Terminal|       | Terminal |       | Terminal |
         |  Users  |       |  Users   |       |  Users   |
         +---------+       +----------+       +----------+
                             Figure 2

   R1~R5 are all PE devices. Among them, R4 and R5 are on the network
   side, connected to the service server. R1, R2, and R3 are located on
   the terminal user side. Multiple terminal users need to use the same
   resources on the service server.

   *  Ingress PE of multicast domain

       The ingress PE is an edge device located on the Internet service
       server side of the carrier network.

       When the service traffic sent by the server to the end user
       enters the IP carrier network, R4 and R5 act as the ingress nodes
       of the IP carrier network, identifying the packet characteristics
       and determining whether the traffic is a predefined unicast
       service traffic that can be converted into multicast forwarding.
       If so, R4 and R5 can be recognized as the ingress PE of multicast
       domain for the service traffic.

   *  Egress PE of multicast domain

       The egress PE is an edge device located on the terminal user side
       of the carrier network.

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       When the traffic is sent to the terminal user through the IP
       carrier network's egress nodes R1, R2, and R3, which can also
       perform similar processing as the ingress PE.

   Based on the input and output directions of the service traffic, the
   roles of ingress PE and egress PE of multicast domain can be
   determined. The roles are not fixed and unchanging. For different
   service traffic in different directions, the same device can have
   different roles simultaneously.

   In actual deployment, configuration can also be added on the
   interface to specify the device role for a certain flow
   characteristics. The detailed configuration method is out of the
   scope of this document.

  4. Optimization processing of unicast traffic forwarding

   Taking Figure 2 as an example, introduce the processing flow of
   adaptive forwarding optimization for unicast traffic.

4.1. Multicast Group Member Management

   Firstly according to the adaptive optimization policy, generate the
   mapping relationship between unicast flow characteristics, multicast
   IP addresses, and user IP addresses that need to be adaptively
   forwarded on the ingress PE R4 and egress PE R1 of the multicast
   domain in advance.

   The characteristics of unicast traffic include but are not limited
   to one or a combination of more message information as follows:

   *  Source IP address

   *  Destination IP address

   *  TCP/UDP source port

   *  TCP/UDP destination port

   *  Protocol number

   *  DSCP

   *  Application ID (APN ID)

   For example, identifying unicast service traffic that require
   forwarding optimization based on the five-tuple information (SIP,

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   DIP, SPort, DPort, Protocol) of the packet or based on the APN ID in
   IPv6 Extension Header.

   After receiving the service traffic with specified characteristics,
   the multicast ingress PE will not immediately switch to multicast
   forwarding path. The process is as followed:

   1) When the egress PE R1 of the multicast domain receives a unicast
      traffic flow with specified characteristics, it simulates static
      configuration locally to generate the corresponding multicast
      group or multicast source group, and queries the upstream of the
      multicast according to the process defined in [RFC6513] and
      [RFC6514], and sends a C-Multicast join request to the ingress PE
      R4 of the multicast domain.

   2) After receiving the C-Multicast join request from R1, R4 adds R1
      to the corresponding multicast group.

   If there are two or more multicast upstream nodes, choose the
   optimal one according to [RFC6514], or choose the primary and backup
   upstream nodes according to [RFC9026]. When the multicast flow
   reaches the egress PE, only the traffic from the primary node can be
   forwarded according to the RPF check rule.

4.2. Packet Forwarding Optimization Process

      The packet forwarding optimization process is shown in Figure 3.

         +---------------+  +-----------------+  +---------------+
         | SIP: Server-IP|  | SIP: Server-IP  |  | SIP: Server-IP|
         +---------------+  +-----------------+  +---------------+
         | DIP:User-IP   |  |DIP: Multicast IP|  | DIP:User-IP   |
         +---------------+  +-----------------+  +---------------+
         |     Data      |  |     Data        |  |     Data      |
         +---------------+  +-----------------+  +---------------+
   +--------+        +--------+          +--------+          +------+
   | Server +------->+   R4   +--------->+   R1   +----------+ User |
   +--------+        +--------+          +--------+          +------+
                            Figure 3

   1) After receiving a packet from the server, ingress PE R4 identifies
      the unicast packet that needs adaptive forwarding optimization
      based on the flow characteristics.

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   2) R4 searches the mapping relationship entries, replaces the
      destination IP address with a multicast address based on the found
      entry, and converts the identified unicast traffic into the
      corresponding multicast flow.

   3) R4 processes ordinary IP multicast packets and forwards them on
      the IP carrier network through a multicast tunnel.

      The multicast tunnels here include but are not limited to PIM,
      P2MP MPLS, BIER, etc. The process of forwarding multicast packets
      within the IP carrier network is not within the scope of this
      document. For details, can refer to the BGP MVPN architecture
      standards defined in [RFC6513] and [RFC6514], as well as the BIER
      MVPN standards defined in [RFC8556].

   4) After receiving the multicast traffic forwarded by the carrier
      network to the terminal user, egress PE R1 restores the multicast
      traffic to a unicast traffic based on the mapping relationship
      between the multicast IP address and the terminal user IP address.
      The destination address is replaced with the terminal user's IP
      address before unicast forwarding.

      If multiple terminal users need the same service traffic, R1 will
      convert multicast packet into multiple unicast packets based on
      the mapping relationship and send them to each terminal user
      separately.

   The table shows the mapping relationship between the unicast flow
   characteristics (Using five-tuple as an example), multicast IP
   addresses, and terminal user IP addresses maintained on the ingress
   PE and egress PE of the multicast domain, as shown in the following
   example:

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   +---------------+-----------+----------------------------------+
   |               |           |   service flow characteristics   |
   |  Multicast IP |  User IP  |  Using five-tuple as an example  |
   |               |           |(DIP, SIP, DPort, Sport, Protocol)|
   +---------------+-----------+----------------------------------+
   |    FF0E::1    |  2001::1  | 2001::1, 3001::1, 4545, 8000, IP |
   +---------------+-----------+----------------------------------+
   |    FF0E::1    |  2001::2  | 2001::2, 3001::1, 3400, 8000, IP |
   +---------------+-----------+----------------------------------+
   |    FF0E::2    |  2001::3  | 2001::3, 3001::2, 6000, 5000, IP |
   +---------------+-----------+----------------------------------+
   |    FF0E::3    |  2001::4  | 2001::4, 3001::2, 7000, 5000, IP |
   +---------------+-----------+----------------------------------+
   |    FF0E::3    |  2001::1  | 2001::1, 3001::2, 8000, 5000, IP |
   +---------------+-----------+----------------------------------+

   For users who have already been added to the mapping relationship
   table, the egress PE only forwards packets from the multicast
   forwarding path to users according to the mapping relationship. For
   users who have not yet been added to the mapping table, still
   forward packets from the unicast forwarding path to those users.

   Before generating the mapping relationship entry for the user,
   service packets sent to that user continue to be forwarded in
   unicast mode. But once the user's service traffic switches to the
   multicast forwarding path, the egress PE MUST stop sending the
   packet from unicast forwarding path to the user to prevent the end
   user from receiving duplicate service packets.

   Therefore, before generating the mapping relationship entry for the
   user on the ingress PE, the egress PE may receive both unicast
   service packets sent to the user and multicast service packets sent
   to other users who have already joined the multicast group.

  5. Mapping Relationship Table Management

   When it is necessary to adaptively switch between unicast and
   multicast modes for the user's service traffic, the ingress PE
   SHOULD notify the egress PE to send a request to join or leave the
   multicast group to the ingress PE.

   The mapping relationship table can be generated in the following
   three ways:

   *  Static configuration on ingress and egress PEs.

   *  The controller centrally issues to ingress and egress PEs.

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   *  Ingress and egress PEs create and delete entries dynamically based
      on the user's service traffic.

   The following focuses on describing the dynamic approach.

   In practical applications, the optimization strategy on the ingress
   PE of the multicast domain is specified by the configuration. The
   mapping relationship table entries on the egress PE are dynamically
   created and deleted upon receiving notification of switching
   multicast mode from the ingress PE.

5.1. Add Mapping Relationship Table Entries

   According to the optimization strategy of the ingress PE, for
   example, when the number of terminal users who need the same unicast
   service flow reaches a specified threshold (such as more than 5000),
   or when the service traffic that multiple terminal users need is
   continuously forwarded in unicast mode for a certain period of time
   (such as 10 minutes), the ingress PE sends a notification to switch
   multicast mode to all egress PEs belonging to these terminal users
   simultaneously.

   To a new terminal user who needs to receive a certain service
   traffic, the ingress PE does not immediately switch the service
   traffic sent to the terminal user to the multicast path. Instead, it
   waits for a period of time. If the service traffic to the user can
   be stably forwarded, the ingress PE sends a notification to the
   egress PE of the user to trigger the egress PE to send a C-Multicast
   join request.

   When receiving the notification, the egress PE adds the
   corresponding mapping relationship table entry and sends C-Multicast
   join request to the ingress PE.

   After receiving the C-Multicast join request from the egress PE, the
   ingress PE creates a mapping relationship table entry and adds the
   egress PE to the corresponding multicast group.

5.2. Delete Mapping Relationship Table Entries

   If the terminal user no longer needs to receive service traffic sent
   through multicast path, the egress PE to which the terminal user
   belongs sends a C-Multicast leave message of the multicast group to
   the ingress PE, and deletes the forwarding optimization mapping
   relationship table entry.

   After receiving the C-Multicast leave message, the ingress PE
   deletes the egress PE from the multicast group and deletes the

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   mapping relationship table entry. Afterwards, the service traffic
   will no longer be forwarded to this terminal user through the
   multicast path.

   Because terminal users only interact with the server, when they no
   longer need to receive the service traffic, neither the ingress PE
   nor the egress PE of the multicast domain can receive any signaling.

   To address this issue, the multicast ingress PE recommends using
   periodic traffic statistics to perceive whether the terminal user
   still needs to receive the service traffic. When the traffic send to
   the user through the ingress PE is below the threshold, it is
   determined that the service traffic of the terminal user has been
   interrupted.

  6. IANA Considerations

   This document has no IANA actions.

  7. Security Considerations

   This document does not introduce new security considerations.

8. References

8.1. Normative References

   [RFC2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
             Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, DOI
             10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997, <https://www.rfc-
             editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

   [RFC4364] Rosen, E., Rekhter, Y., "BGP/MPLS IP Virtual Private
             Networks (VPNs)", RFC 4364, DOI 10.17487/RFC4364, February
             2006, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4364>.

   [RFC6513] Rosen, E., Ed. and R. Aggarwal, Ed., "Multicast in
             MPLS/BGP IP VPNs", RFC 6513, DOI 10.17487/RFC6513,
             February 2012, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6513>.

   [RFC6514] Aggarwal, R., Rosen, E., Morin, T., and Y. Rekhter, "BGP
             Encodings and Procedures for Multicast in MPLS/BGP IP
             VPNs", RFC 6514, DOI 10.17487/RFC6514, February 2012,
             <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6514>.

   [RFC8174] Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
             2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174,
             May 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8174>.

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   [RFC8200] Deering, S. and R. Hinden, "Internet Protocol, Version
             6(IPv6) Specification", STD 86, RFC 8200, DOI
             10.17487/RFC8200, July 2017, <https://www.rfc-
             editor.org/info/rfc8200>.

   [RFC8556] Rosen, E., Ed., Sivakumar, M., Przygienda, T., Aldrin, S.,
             and A. Dolganow, "Multicast VPN Using Bit Index Explicit
             Replication (BIER)", RFC 8556, DOI 10.17487/RFC8556, April
             2019, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8556>.

   [RFC9026] Morin, T., Kebler, R., Mirsky, G., "Multicast VPN Fast
             Upstream Failover", RFC 9026, DOI 10.17487/RFC9026, April
             2021, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc9026>.

8.2. Informative References

   TBD

  9. Acknowledgments

   The authors would like to thank the following for their valuable
   contributions of this document:

   TBD

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Authors' Addresses

   Yisong Liu
   China Mobile
   China
   Email: liuyisong@chinamobile.com

   Aijun Wang
   China Telecom
   China
   Email: wangaijun@tsinghua.org.cn

   Changwang Lin
   New H3C Technologies
   China
   Email: linchangwang.04414@h3c.com

   Zheng Zhang
   ZTE Corporation
   China
   Email: zhang.zheng@zte.com.cn

   Yuanxiang Qiu
   New H3C Technologies
   China
   Email: qiuyuanxiang@h3c.com

   Yanrong Liang
   Ruijie Networks
   China
   Email: liangyanrong@ruijie.com.cn

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