Wanted: IPv6 Multicast as a Service (MaaS)

[erichocean]

Here's what it would look like:

1. An IPv6 client with a globally-scoped IPv6 address (the Source) requests an IPv6 multicast address from the service. The address is valid for a particular amount of time, unless renewed. The address can be renewed indefinitely.

2. Other IPv6 clients (the Clients) are given the multicast address and join that multicast group, using the (S, G) method.

3. The Source sends packets to the multicast address and the Clients receive them.

I have no idea what the billing would look like, perhaps traffic sent over the channel? I just know I would use this service if it existed.

Thanks!

[erichocean]

I forgot to mention, only the Source should be able to send to the multicast address.

Also, the cost of a new multicast address should be negligible (e.g. $0.01). Instead, charge for incoming traffic on that multicast address from the Source.

[wmf]

Realistically the Internet isn't going to support multicast, so it probably makes more sense to reframe this as some kind of CDN overlay.

[erichocean → wmf]

I assume you mean this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overlay_multicast

[wmf]

Why IPv6 specifically?

[erichocean → wmf]

Because I need a lot of multicast addresses (hundreds to thousands). IPv4 has a very limited pool and they're hard to get a hold of, which is why I'm looking at IPv6 solutions.

I'd be happy to use IPv4, but I suspect the cost would be prohibitive, assuming it was feasible at all.