This talk describes a solution and applications for multicast Traffic Engineering (TE) using MPLS.

We describe the requirements of a point to multipoint (P2MP) TE solution being developed in the IETF. The objective is to optimize multicast packet replication and minimize state and intelligence in the core of the network, while performing multicast TE.

The solution relies on RSVP-TE in the core of the network. It is based on setting up a P2MP LSP by merging P2P LSPs in the network. The setup of a P2P LSP is source driven. Simple enhancements are made to RSVP-TE to facilitate the set up of a P2MP TE LSP for multicast. There is no need to run a multicast routing protocol in the network core. PIM-SM is run between the receiver and source PEs to propagate (S, G) or (*, G) join information. Extensions to PIM-SM and the interaction between RSVP-TE and PIM-SM for achieving IP multicast TE are described. The status of this solution in the IETF will be given.

Various applications are described. Video streaming over an optical network is one of them. We also describe how multicast MPLS VPNs can take advantage of multicast TE in the network core. Increasingly multicast networks are looking to traffic engineer their network core. Hence this subject is of growing relevance.

Rahul Aggarwal recently joined the IP routing group at Juniper Networks. Prior to joining Juniper Networks he was with the SmartEdge IP routing group at Redback Networks. He was one of the leading architects and developers of the MPLS implementation on the SmartEdge 800 Router. He contributed to the design and development of MPLS Traffic Engineering, Layer 3 VPNS, Layer 2 VPNs and VPLS on the SE800 router.

Prior to joining Redback Networks, he was at Fore Systems between 1998 and 2000, where he worked on the development of OSPF, MPLS and Traffic Engineering. He received a B.E. in Electronics and Communication from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee in 1996. He received his M.S. in Computer Science from University of Minnesota in 1998. His Graduate Research was focussed on QoS and stored video delivery across resource constrained networks.

His professional interests include routing and signaling development, IP and MPLS system and forwarding design, packet classification, VPNs, subscriber management, QoS and Traffic Engineering.