Multicast Open Shortest Path First (MOSPF)

Multicast Open Shortest Path First (MOSPF)
Multicast Open Shortest Path First (MOSPF) is a link-state protocol. OSPFv2 includes some
changes that allow multicast to be enabled on OSPF-enabled routers. This eliminates the need
for tunnels such as those used for DVMRP.
To completely understand the full functionality of MOSPF, you must have a thorough
understanding of OSPF itself. Here we cover only the basic functionality of MOSPF, so you
should be fine with just a basic understanding of OSPF.
For more on OSPF, see Chapter 5, “OSPF Operation in a Single Area.”
MOSPF’s basic functionality lies within a single OSPF area. Design gets more complicated as
you route multicast traffic to other areas (inter-area routing) or to other autonomous systems
(inter-AS routing). This additional complication requires more knowledge of OSPF routing. We
briefly discuss how this is accomplished in MOSPF, but most of the details will be regarding
MOSPF intra-area routing.