Reliable multicast protocol based on reliable active node

Reliable multicast over Internet has many problems caused by the IP protocol that does not guarantee the reliability, such as feedback implosion and the difficulty of the loss recovery. This paper firstly gives the multicast protocol a layering model used in active network. In the mode, RM layer, which includes management sub-layer and reliability sub-layer, replace TCP layer. Our research in this paper focuses on the reliability sub-layer. Secondly, this paper presents a reliable multicast protocol based on reliable active node (RANRM) according to the layering model. Thirdly, with the flexibility of active network, the application layer should customize the quantity and the location of the reliable active node (RANRM) in active network. We suggest that the reliable active nodes should be those which locate at the edges of the backbone links. Theoretical analysis shows that the protocol presented here is, comparing with the traditional network protocol, better for bandwidth and loss recovery delay. ANTS has been adopted to simulate RANRM, and the simulation results show the same conclusion of theoretical analysis.