IP multicast is a bandwidth-conserving technology that reduces traffic by delivering a single stream of information simultaneously to potentially thousands of businesses and homes. Applications that take advantage of multicast include video conferencing, corporate communications, distance learning, and distribution of software, stock quotes, and news.

This module contains a technical overview of IP multicast. IP multicast is an efficient way to use network resources, especially for bandwidth-intensive services such as audio and video. Before beginning to configure IP multicast, it is important that you understand the information presented in this module.