Multicast - NX-OS and IOS config comparison

Multicast is implemented with different syntax on a Cisco Nexus devices running the NX-OS software, and Cisco devices running the IOS software. The differences are not in the actual operation of multicast, but only in the method of implementation of the configurations.

The following tables indicate some of the major configuration differences between the two operating systems.

Enabling multicast

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
ip multicast-routingThere is no single global command to enable multicast

Enabling PIM

This is how to enable Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM).

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
PIM cannot be enabled or disabled on IOSfeature pim

Configuring PIM Sparse Mode

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
interface GigabitEthernet1/1interface Ethernet1/1
ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0ip address 192.168.1.1/24
ip pim sparse-modeip pim sparse-mode

Configuring PIM Auto-RP

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
interface Loopback5interface Loopback5
ip address 172.16.10.1 255.255.255.255ip address 172.16.10.1/32
ip pim sparse-modeip pim sparse-mode
ip pim send-rp-announce Loopback5 scope 32ip pim auto-rp rp-candidate Loopback5 group-list 224.0.0.0/4
ip pim send-rp-discovery Loopback5 scope 32ip pim auto-rp mapping-agent Loopback5
ip pim autorp listenerip pim auto-rp forward listen
OR
ip pim send-rp-announce Loopback5 group-list 224.0.0.0/4
ip pim send-rp-discovery Loopback5
ip pim auto-rp forward listen

Configuring PIM BSR RP

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
interface Loopback5interface Loopback5
ip address 172.16.10.1 255.255.255.255ip address 172.16.10.1/32
ip pim sparse-modeip pim sparse-mode
ip pim bsr-candidate Loopback5ip pim bsr bsr-candidate Loopback5
ip pim rp-candidate Loopback5ip pim bsr rp-candoidate Loopback5 group-list 224.0.0.0/4
ip pim bsr forward listen
OR
ip pim bsr-candidate Loopback5
ip pim rp-candidate Loopback5 group-list 224.0.0.0/4
ip pim bsr forward listen

Configuring PIM Static-RP

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
ip pim rp-address 10.10.10.1ip pim rp-address 10.10.10.1

Configuring PIM Anycast-RP using BSR

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
interface Loopback5
ip address 172.16.10.1/32
ip pim sparse-mode
interface Loopback6
description Anycast-RP-Address
Cisco IOS does not support the PIM Anycast RP featureip address 192.168.10.1/32
ip pim sparse-mode
ip pim bsr bsr-candidate Loopback5
ip pim bsr rp-candidate Loopback 6 group-list 224.0.0.0/4
ip pim anycast-rp 192.168.10.1 172.16.10.1
ip pim anycast-rp 192.168.10.1 172.16.10.2
ip pim bsr forward listen

Configuring PIM neighbor authentication

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
interface Ethernet1/1
Cisco IOS does not support neighbor authenticationip address 172.16.10.1/24
ip pim sparse-mode
ip pim hello-authentication ah-md5 3 a667d47acc18ea6b

Configuring PIM BSR border on an interface

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
interface GigabitEthernet1/1interface Ethernet1/1
ip address 172.16.10.1 255.255.255.0ip address 172.16.10.1/24
ip pim bsr-borderip pim sparse-mode
ip pim sparse-modeip pim border
ip multicast boundary 10
access-list 10 deny 224.0.1.39
access-list 10 deny 224.0.1.40
access-list 10 permit 224.0.0.0 15.255.255.255

Configuring an IGMP snooping querier for a particular VLAN

Cisco IOSCisco NX-OS
interface vlan 10vlan 10
ip address 192.168.20.1 255.255.255.0ip igmp snooping querier 192.168.20.1
igmp snooping querier