Enabling IPv6 PIM Sparse on a Virtual Ethernet Interface

IPv6 PIM must be enabled globally and IPv6 PIM Sparse Mode (PIM SM) enabled locally on specific interfaces.

By default, IPv6 PIM SM is disabled. Complete the following steps to enable IPv6 PIM SM on a virtual Ethernet interface:

  • Enable IPv6 PIM globally.
  • Configure the IPv6 virtual Ethernet interfaces that will use IPv6 PIM SM.
  • Enable IPv6 PIM SM locally on the individual interfaces connected to the IPv6 PIM Sparse network.

The steps in this task do not configure the device as a candidate PIM Sparse Bootstrap Router (BSR) and candidate Rendezvous Point (RP). You can configure a device as an IPv6 PIM Sparse device without configuring the device as a candidate BSR and RP. If you do configure the device as a candidate BSR or RP, it is recommended that you configure the device as both a BSR and an RP.

  1. Enter global configuration mode. 
    device# configure terminal
  2. Globally enable IPv6 PIM. 
    device(config)# ipv6 router pim
  3. Exit to global configuration mode to enter the interface. 
    device(config-ipv6-pim-router)# exit
  4. Enter interface configuration mode. 
    device(config)# interface ve 15
    This step configures virtual Ethernet interface 15 and this interface is to run IPv6 PIM SM.
  5. Enter the IPv6 address for the interface. 
    device(config-vif-15)# ipv6 address a000:1111::1/64
  6. Configure IPv6 PIM SM on the interface. 
    device(config-vif-15)# ipv6 pim-sparse
  7. (Optional) Specify that the interface is on the border of the IPv6 PIM Sparse domain. 
    device(config-vif-15)# ipv6 pim border

The following example enables IPv6 PIM globally and IPv6 PIM SM on virtual Ethernet interface 15 which is on the border of the IPv6 PIM Sparse domain. 

device# configure terminal
device(config)# router pim
device(config-ipv6-pim-router)# exit
device(config)# interface ve 15
device(config-vif-15)# ipv6 address a000:1111::1/64
device(config-vif-15)# ipv6 pim-sparse
device(config-vif-15)# ipv6 pim border
Parent topic: IPv6 PIM Sparse