Using SSM proxies to provide efficient multiple-source multicast delivery

We consider the possibility that single-source multicast (SSM) will become a universal multicast service, enabling large-scale distribution of content from a few well-known sources to a general audience. Operating under this assumption, we explore the problem of building the traditional IP model of any-source multicast on top of SSM. Toward this end, we design an SSM proxy service that allows any sender to efficiently deliver content to a multicast group. We demonstrate the performance improvements this service offers over standard SSM and describe extensions for access control, dynamic proxy discovery, and multicast proxy distribution.