PIM ECMP Redirect based on Linecard Replication Capacity and Power
draft-mjsraman-pim-ecmp-redirect-power-replic-cap-00

Abstract

This work derives itself from [1] which proposes a ECMP redirect from a PIM upstream neighbor that instructs or advices the PIM downstream neighbor to choose another of its own ECMP links between the former and the latter. What we propose in this document is a criterion based on power consumed in the linecards that comprise the ECMP links between the former and the latter. Also the multicast replication capacity available within the said linecards which form the ECMP links between the two is taken into consideration while making a ECMP redirect. A PIM router uses RPF procedure to select an upstream interface and router to build forwarding state. When there are equal cost multiple paths (ECMP), existing implementations often use hash algorithms to select a path. Such algorithms do not allow the spread of traffic among the ECMPs according to administrative metrics. This usually leads to inefficient or ineffective use of network resources. This document introduces the ECMP Redirect, a mechanism to improve the RPF procedure over ECMPs. It allows ECMP path selection to be based on administratively selected metrics, such as data transmission delays, path preferences and routing metrics.

Authors

Shankar Raman
Balaji Venkat Venkataswami
Gaurav Raina

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