Enhanced multicast load balancing

Enhanced multicast load balancing allows operators to replace the default multicast per-flow hash input (internal multicast ID) with information from the packet. When enabled, multicast traffic for Layer 3 services (such as IES, VPRN, r-VPLS) and ng-MVPN (multicast inside RSVP-TE, LDP LSPs) are hashed using information from the packet. Which inputs are chosen depends on which per-flow hash inputs options are enabled based on the following:

• IP replication

  The hash algorithm for multicast mimics unicast hash algorithm using SA/DA by default and optionally TCP/UDP ports (Layer 4 load balancing enabled) and/or system IP (System IP load balancing enabled) and, or source/destination parameters only (Source-only/Destination-only hash inputs).

• MPLS replication

  The hash algorithm for multicast mimics unicast hash algorithm is described in the LSR hashing section.

  Note: Enhanced multicast load balancing is not supported with Layer 2 and ESM services. It is supported on all platforms except for the 7450 ESS in standard mode.