Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP)
Services such as broadcast TV distribution require a point-to-multipoint delivery mechanism that is able to replicate traffic at certain points in the network. Replication of traffic could be performed at the network ingress node closest to the source of the traffic, but this is an inefficient use of core network resources. So telecom carriers are increasingly turning to replication that is performed in the core and the use of point-to-multipoint (P2MP) label switched paths (LSPs).
This technical brief provides background on P2MP and introduces common terms. It then asks a number of questions that a telecom carrier could ask when considering solutions for planning and provisioning P2MP services, and provides answers to those questions from the perspective of Aria’s iVNT.