RFC 8279: Multicast Using Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER)
In plain English — editorial summary, not part of the RFC
This document specifies a new architecture for the forwarding of multicast data packets. It provides optimal forwarding of multicast packets through a "multicast domain". However, it does not require a protocol for explicitly building multicast distribution trees, nor does it require intermediate nodes to maintain any per-flow state. This architecture is known as "Bit Index Explicit Replication" (BIER). When a multicast data packet enters the domain, the ingress router determines the set of egress routers to which the packet needs to be sent. The ingress router then encapsulates the packet in a BIER header. The BIER header contains a bit string in which each bit represents exactly one egress router in the domain; to forward the packet to a given set of egress routers, the bits corresponding to those routers are set in the BIER header. The procedures for forwarding a packet based on its BIER header are specified in this document. Elimination of the per-flow state and the explicit tree-building protocols results in a considerable simplification.
Document record
- Document ID
- RFC8279
- Published
- November 2017
- Authors
- IJ. Wijnands; E. Rosen; A. Dolganow; T. Przygienda; S. Aldrin
- Status
- PROPOSED STANDARD
- Stream
- IETF
- Area
- rtg
- Pages
- 43
- Also known as
- —
Topics
Related documents
Ranked automatically by shared keywords, IETF area and stream — not by editorial selection.
- RFC 8296Encapsulation for Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER) in MPLS and Non-MPLS NetworksCurrent
January 2018
- RFC 8220Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) over Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS)Current
September 2017
- RFC 8364PIM Flooding Mechanism (PFM) and Source Discovery (SD)Updated
March 2018
- RFC 8556Multicast VPN Using Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER)Current
April 2019
- RFC 8564Support of Point-to-Multipoint Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) in Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL)Current
April 2019
- RFC 7968Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL): Using Data Labels for Tree Selection for Multi-Destination DataCurrent
August 2016
- RFC 8652A YANG Data Model for the Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) and Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD)Current
November 2019
- RFC 7900Extranet Multicast in BGP/IP MPLS VPNsUpdated
June 2016
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The document record above — title, authors, date, status, stream, area, relationships, DOI and errata — is imported verbatim from the public RFC Editor index. The “in plain English” section is editorial: written by The metasystema editorial team, not part of the RFC. Where the two differ, the RFC text governs.
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