Hitachi Cable, Ltd. would like to announce the successful completion of multi-point, multi-channel distribution of video images through a network using the company's OSW-series layer-2 switch for FTTH (Fiber To The Home), which is equipped with an internal IPv6 multicast snooping function *1, 2.

FTTH services that use fiber-optic communication lines are spreading to a growing number of homes. Thanks to its high-speed, large-volume data handling capacity, FTTH offers so-called triple-play capability-enabling the use of Internet, IP phone, and video and other content distribution services. In particular, use of FTTH for the transmission of digital terrestrial broadcasts is now being considered as a possible solution to the growing demand for video distribution. Accordingly, test operations of IPv6 networks which use a next-generation Internet protocol suitable for video distribution have been initiated.

Against this background, a large-scale video distribution experiment was conducted. In this experiment, images of the Fall meets of the 60th National Sports Festival held in Okayama from October 22 through 27 were distributed via multicast using up to 43 channels. As part of this experiment, the transmitted images of sports competitions were delivered in real time to homes in the Okutsu district in Kagamino-cho, Okayama through an FTTH network using IPv6 multicast snooping technology. This network utilized Hitachi Cable's OSW switch for FTTH, which was equipped with an internal IPv6 multicast snooping function.

Hitachi Cable's Apresia-series *3, 4 Ethernet switches and OSW-series products are equipped with a multicast snooping function for IPv4, which is the current mainstream Internet protocol. Using this function, Hitachi Cable has developed a video monitoring system for the transmission of multiple images captured by multiple Web cameras throughout a network. This system has been delivered to shopping malls and other facilities. By drawing on our track record of delivery of this system and by promoting the Apresia and OSW series equipped with an IPv6 multicast snooping function, for which market demand is growing, we aim to expand the volume of orders in the field of network-based video distribution.

*1	IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is a next-generation Internet protocol which allows the control of a significantly larger number of addresses than the current mainstream protocol, IPv4. In addition, IPv6 offers improvements over IPv4, such as preferential treatment of high-priority transmission data.
*2	Multicast is a technique for transmitting data packets through the Internet to a special majority (group) without specifying destinations. Because the multicast system does not specify data destinations, the transmitted data reaches all ports. This increases the data traffic even at ports which are connected with terminals not requiring the data, thus causing adverse effects such as a delay in the transmission and reception of other data. Multicast snooping (MLD snooping) is a function which delivers multicast data only to ports connected with terminals wishing to receive the data and stops the distribution of the data to other terminals.
*3	Ethernet is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation.
*4	Apresia is registered trademark of Hitachi Cable, Ltd. in Japan.

List of Apresia and OSW models equipped with internal IPv6 multicast snooping function

Apresiaseries	OSWseries
Apresia2124GT-SS	OSW-2124T
Apresia2124-SS	OSW-2124X
Apresia2124GT	OSW-2124X/L
Apresia3124GT
Apresia3124GT-PSR
Apresia3124GT-HR
Apresia3108FG
Apresia3248G
Apresia3248G-PSR
Apresia4224GT-PSR