Overview of Apple's Bonjour and Google's Chromecast

The HPE mDNS Gateway and Google Chromecast solution adds support for Apple’s Bonjour and Google’s Chromecast discovery from a HPE switch. The solution uses mDNS protocol for discovery and is responsible for handling mDNS packets.

Bonjour

HPE’s mDNS Gateway solution supports Apple’s Bonjour protocol to the switch.

Bonjour is Apple’s implementation of a suite of zero-configuration networking protocols and is supported by both Mac OS X devices (such as laptops and desktops), and Apple iOS devices (such as iPhones and iPads).

Bonjour’s zero-configuration network services benefits include:
  • No longer having to assign IP addresses or host names to access network services on Mac OS X and Apple iOS devices

  • Applications can leverage Bonjour to automatically detect required services.

  • Interacts with other applications to allow for automatic connection of devices.

  • Communication and data exchange is possible without user configuration.

Google’s Chromecast

Chromecast is a digital media player developed by Google. The device is a HDMI dongle that plays audio and video content on a high-definition screen by directly streaming it via Wi-Fi from the Internet or a local network. The media is selected, by users, to play on devices by enabling Chromecast mobile and web applications. Casting a tab for sites that are not Google Cast-enabled. mirrors most Google Chrome browser content running on the device (MAC OSX and Windows).

Chromecast uses a simple multicast protocol for discovery and launch. This protocol enables users to mirror their devices on a second screen.

HPE mDNS protocol

HPE supports mDNS protocol implemented as a server. mDNS is the primary method of discovering a Chromecast that supports the v2 API. While SSDP/DIAL support is still present and used by some applications (such as "You Tube"), existing applications have to migrate to the new SDK using the new protocol.