6.1. Extensions to the IP Service Interface

Multicast IP datagrams are sent using the same "Send IP" operation used to send unicast IP datagrams; an upper-layer protocol module merely specifies an IP host group address, rather than an individual IP address, as the destination. However, a number of extensions may be necessary or desirable.

First, the service interface should provide a way for the upper-layer protocol to specify the IP time-to-live of an outgoing multicast datagram, if such a capability does not already exist. If the upper-layer protocol chooses not to specify a time-to-live, it should default to 1 for all multicast IP datagrams, so that an explicit choice is required to multicast beyond a single network.

Second, for hosts that may be attached to more than one network, the service interface should provide a way for the upper-layer protocol to identify which network interface is be used for the multicast transmission. Only one interface is used for the initial transmission; multicast routers are responsible for forwarding to any other networks, if necessary. If the upper-layer protocol chooses not to identify an outgoing interface, a default interface should be used, preferably under the control of system management.

Third (level 2 implementations only), for the case in which the host is itself a member of a group to which a datagram is being sent, the service interface should provide a way for the upper-layer protocol to inhibit local delivery of the datagram; by default, a copy of the datagram is looped back. This is a performance optimization for upper-layer protocols that restrict the membership of a group to one process per host (such as a routing protocol), or that handle loopback of group communication at a higher layer (such as a multicast transport protocol).