http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc6450.txt
RFC 6450: Multicast Ping Protocol, S. Venaas2011-12-01T23:00:00-00:00The Multicast Ping Protocol specified in this document allows for checking whether an endpoint can receive multicast -- both Source-Specific Multicast (SSM) and Any-Source Multicast (ASM). It can also be used to obtain additional multicast-related information, such as multicast tree setup time. This protocol is based on an implementation of tools called "ssmping" and "asmping". [STANDARDS-TRACK]