GUIDANCE MATERIAL TO ASSIST REGIONAL AND SITE NETWORKS DURING EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENTS

When Regional Network and Campus Network Operators procure their equipment it is essential that support for IPv4 Multicast and IPv6 Multicast is stated as a mandatory requirement within the invitation to tender (ITT) document. Below are examples of text which could be used within the ITT document:

Request for the description of the service

Please describe how IP multicasting is supported on your router. Summarise the IP multicasting protocols that are currently offered and any that may be in development. Please indicate timescales for the expected release of new multicast features.

Operational Requirements

Mandatory requirements

The proposed router must support IP multicasting. The supplier shall summarise the IP multicasting protocols that are currently offered and any that may be in development, with timescales for their expected release. Multicast must be supported for IP version 4 and IP version 6.

Informational Requirements

The supplier shall describe facilities that enable the logging and monitoring of traffic and features that assist with the diagnosis of problems. The supplier shall state whether these can be run in unattended mode and whether they can be triggered to start and stop by error events. The impact on performance of the proposed router when running these facilities shall be described. The response shall cover, but not be limited to, features and facilities in the following areas:

• Interface signal levels;
• Link Layer protocols;
• Routing protocols;
• Multicast protocols;
• Multicast routing protocols.

The supplier shall state whether any type of interface restricts or limits the features supported by the router. Are particular features (QoS, multicast, IPv6 Access Control Lists etc.) restricted to, or limited by particular interfaces?