Information About Distributed MFIB for IPv6 Multicast
Distributed MFIB
Distributed Multicast Forwarding Information Base (MFIB) is used to switch multicast IPv6 packets on distributed platforms. Distributed MFIB may also contain platform-specific information on replication across line cards. The basic MFIB routines that implement the core of the forwarding logic are common to all forwarding environments.
dMFIB implements the following functions:
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Distributes a copy of the MFIB to the line cards.
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Relays data-driven protocol events generated in the line cards to PIM.
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Provides an MFIB platform application program interface (API) to propagate MFIB changes to platform-specific code responsible for programming the hardware acceleration engine. This API also includes entry points to switch a packet in software (necessary if the packet is triggering a data-driven event) and to upload traffic statistics to the software.
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Provides hooks to allow clients residing on the RP to read traffic statistics on demand. Distributed MFIB does not periodically upload these statistics to the RP.
The combination of distributed MFIB and MRIB subsystems allows the device to have a "customized" copy of the MFIB database in each line card and to transport MFIB-related platform-specific information from the RP to the line cards.