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<reference anchor='RFC2121'>

<front>
<title abbrev='MARS Cluster Size'>Issues affecting MARS Cluster Size</title>
<author initials='G.' surname='Armitage' fullname='Grenville Armitage'>
<organization>Bellcore, 445 South Street</organization>
<address>
<postal>
<street>Morristown</street>
<street>NJ</street>
<street>07960</street>
<country>USA</country></postal>
<phone>+1 201 829 2635</phone>
<email>gja@thumper.bellcore.com</email></address></author>
<date month='March' year='1997' />
<area>Internet</area>
<keyword>MARS</keyword>
<keyword>multicast</keyword>
<keyword>non-broadcast multiple access</keyword>
<abstract>
<t>
   IP multicast over ATM currently uses the MARS model  to manage the
   use of ATM pt-mpt SVCs for IP multicast packet forwarding. The scope
   of any given MARS services is the MARS Cluster - typically the same
   as an IPv4 Logical IP Subnet (LIS). Current IP/ATM networks are
   usually architected with unicast routing and forwarding issues
   dictating the sizes of individual LISes. However, as IP multicast is
   deployed as a service, the size of a LIS will only be as big as a
   MARS Cluster can be. This document provides a qualitative look at the
   issues constraining a MARS Cluster&apos;s size, including the impact of VC
   limits in switches and NICs, geographical distribution of cluster
   members, and the use of VC Mesh or MCS modes to support multicast
   groups.
</t></abstract></front>

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