When your audio network is on a converged enterprise network, what is a common issue you might face with multicast transmission?

Multicast transmission in a converged enterprise network can present unique challenges, particularly with how network devices handle multicast packets. One prevalent issue is that firewalls may drop multicast packets due to their typical configurations and security policies. Firewalls are designed to scrutinize traffic to prevent unauthorized access, and many are set to drop multicast traffic by default, because it is not typically used in typical client-server communications.

This is significant as multicast is essential for efficiently routing data streams intended for multiple recipients, like audio data in a DANTE network. If the firewall is blocking these packets, it disrupts the ability to deliver audio streams to all intended devices, leading to loss of audio or degraded performance. Configuring firewalls to allow multicast traffic properly is crucial for maintaining the integrity and functionality of audio networks that rely on multicast transmission.

In contrast, while packet collision, insufficient bandwidth, and device incompatibility can occur in network environments, they are less specific to issues encountered with multicast in a converged enterprise network.