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Bit indexed explicit replication for layer 2 networking

  • US 10,218,524 B2
  • Filed: 11/07/2014
  • Issued: 02/26/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:

  • receiving a link layer protocol frame at a link layer network device, whereinthe link layer protocol frame comprises a multicast media access control (MAC) address and a set identifier value, whereinthe set identifier value identifies a respective set of bit position mappings among a plurality of sets of bit position mappings, andeach of the plurality of sets of bit position mappings is stored in a respective bit forwarding table among a plurality of bit forwarding tables, andthe link layer network device comprises a plurality of ports;

    determining whether the link layer protocol frame comprises a tag indicating that the link layer protocol frame is a bit indexed explicit replication (“

    BIER”

    ) frame;

    in response to determining that the link layer protocol frame comprises the tag indicating that the link layer protocol frame is a BIER frame,accessing a frame bit mask within the link layer protocol frame, whereinthe frame bit mask comprises a plurality of bit positions,each bit position within the frame bit mask represents a link layer destination device among a plurality of link layer destination devices, andeach of the plurality of link layer destination devices is represented by at least one relative bit position in the frame bit mask, andselecting a subset of ports of the plurality of ports by accessing a relevant bit forwarding table at the link layer network device, whereinthe selecting comprisesusing the set identifier value to select the relevant bit forwarding table from among the plurality of bit forwarding tables, andusing the frame bit mask to select the subset of ports from the relevant bit forwarding table, wherein 

    the subset of ports includes less than all of the plurality of ports; and

    forwarding a modified copy of the link layer protocol frame to each selected port.

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