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Multicast routing overview

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Multicast routing overview

With multicast routing, multicast-capable routers communicate multicast group membership information to each other so that intelligent multicast forwarding decisions are made across the internetwork. Multicast routers use multicast routing protocols to communicate multicast group information with each other.

Examples of multicast routing protocols include Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol (DVMRP), Multicast Extensions to OSPF (MOSPF), Protocol Independent Multicast-Sparse Mode (PIM-SM), and Protocol Independent Multicast-Dense Mode (PIM-DM). The Windows Server 2003 family does not include any multicast routing protocols. However, Routing and Remote Access is an extensible platform; other vendors can create multicast routing protocols.

Note

  • Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is not available on Microsoft® Windows® XP 64-bit Edition (Itanium) and the 64-bit versions of the Windows Server 2003 family.