  During the past few years, we have observed the emergence of new applications
that use multicast transmission. For a multicast routing algorithm to be
applicable in optical networks, it must route data only to group members,
optimize and maintain loop-free routes, and concentrate the routes on a subset
of network links. For an all-optical switch to play the role of a branching
router, it must be equipped with a light splitter. Light splitters are
expensive equipments and therefore it will be very expensive to implement
splitters on all optical switches. Optical light splitters are only implemented
on some optical switches. That limited availability of light splitters raises a
new problem when we want to implement multicast protocols in optical network
(because usual multicast protocols make the assumption that all nodes have
branching capabilities). Another issue is the knowledge of the locations of
light splitters in the optical network. Nodes in the network should be able to
identify the locations of light splitters scattered in the optical network so
it can construct multicast trees. These problems must be resolved by
implementing a multicast routing protocol that must take into consideration
that not all nodes can be branching node. As a result, a new signaling process
must be implemented so that light paths can be created, spanning from source to
the group members.
