Abstract
As one of the key elements in an IPv6 supported DVB-RCS satellite network, the multicast architecture design is facing the challenges of interworking between the IPv6 multicast protocols and the satellite signaling while efficiently using the satellite bandwidth. How to enable the multicast group management functions for satellite end users with and without direct IPv6 MLD router support and how to translate the IP multicast routing protocol messages to the satellite lower layer signaling to establish the satellite channels between two spot beams need to be answered. With the regenerating satellite space segment, dynamic multicast routing is possible and making an efficient use of the satellite bandwidth has to be considered. This paper presents the SATSIX approaches of a multicast architecture involving both the IP multicast and the C2P protocols to address and solve these questions. © Springer 2008.