[ih] invention of multicast addressing

[LarrySheldon at cox.net (Larry Sheldon)]

On 5/7/2010 12:20, Craig Partridge wrote:
> Hi folks:
> 
> I'm trying to nail down when the concept of a "multicast address" came about
> (just a little citation in a larger paper I'm writing).
> 
> In 1976 in the original Ethernet paper, there was unicast and broadcast.

Well, I learned something.  I didn't know multicasting ("Mutlicasting
one of the cisco books calls it) was a a layer two protocol--all I've
ever read or heard about was at layer three--specifically at IP.

> 
> In 1978, in their survey of local networks, Clark, Pogran and Reed mention
> in passing that Mockapetris is playing around with bit wildcarding that
> permits multiple addressees using one address.
> 
> In the 1980 Ethernet specification there are Ethernet multicast addresses as we 
> know them today.
> 
> Digging a bit deeper from references in later papers, it appears that
> Mockapetris, Lyle and Farber may have proposed a form of multicasting in 1977
> (IFIP Congress paper of August 1977 that I don't have).
> 
> That suggests that someone saw the Mockapetris-Lyle-Farber idea, simplified it
> and put it into the 1980 Ethernet standard (where it sat unused for several
> years...).  But I can find no trail... Anyone got insights?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Craig
> 


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