[c-nsp] Equivalent of "ip multicast boundary" on N7k for blocking data packets?

Phil Mayers p.mayers at imperial.ac.uk
Mon Jun 3 16:08:21 EDT 2013


On our 6500s, we have a standard multicast config inspired by the Cymru 
secure IOS template:

http://www.cymru.com/Documents/secure-ios-template.html

...in our case, looking broadly like this:

ip access-list standard MULTICAST-in
  deny   224.0.1.60
  deny   224.77.0.0 0.0.255.255
  deny   226.77.0.0 0.0.255.255
  permit 239.192.0.0 0.3.255.255
  deny   239.0.0.0 0.255.255.255
  permit 224.0.0.0 15.255.255.255

int VlanXX
  description subnet facing some clients
  ...
  ip pim sparse-mode
  ip multicast boundary MULTICAST-in
  ip igmp access-group MULTICAST-in

The two multicast/ACL commands accomplish two different things - the 
boundary prevents clients sending to that group, the igmp join prevents 
clients asking to receive from that group. This lets us block some 
common junk - such as Symantec Ghost (sessions trample on each other) 
and groups from 239/8 but not 239.192/14 - that in the past have caused 
masses of multicast routing entries to no real purpose.

How can I accomplish the equivalent of the "boundary" on NX-OS 5.2 for 
N7k, given it lacks the command? Does one just use a normal ACL, and if 
so, are there any caveats to doing so e.g. does "boundary" do *other* 
things that a plain ACL would miss?

It's important to note that the "boundary" translates into TCAM entries 
on 6500s i.e. it really does stop traffic forwarding, and this has 
proven important to us in the past:

#sh tcam interface vlxx acl in ip

* Global Defaults not shared


Entries from Bank 0

     permit       ip any any

Entries from Bank 1

     permit       ip any 239.192.0.0 0.3.255.255
     deny         ip any 224.77.0.0 0.0.255.255
     deny         ip any 226.77.0.0 0.0.255.255
     deny         ip any host 224.0.1.60
     deny         ip any 239.0.0.0 0.255.255.255
     permit       ip any any


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