Deployment issues for the IP multicast service and architecture

IP multicast offers the scalable point-to-multipoint delivery necessary for using group communication applications on the Internet. However, the IP multicast service has seen slow commercial deployment by ISPs and carriers. The original service model was designed without a clear understanding of commercial requirements or a robust implementation strategy. The very limited number of applications and the complexity of the architectural design-which we believe is a consequence of the open service model-have deterred widespread deployment as well. We examine the issues that have limited the commercial deployment of IP multicast from the viewpoint of carriers. We analyze where the model fails and what it does not offer, and we discuss requirements for successful deployment of multicast services.