Systems and methods for the distribution of bulk data using multicast routing

• US 20040148421A1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Achtermann, Jeffrey Mark, Guthrie, Robert Earl, Lazzaro, Christopher Victor, Sistrunk, Mark Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains

Abstract

Systems and methods for the distribution of bulk data using multicast routing are provided. A multicast advertisement is sent to potential receivers of the bulk distribution. The advertisement may include a list of intended receivers and the multicast group that the distribution will be multicast on. In response to the advertisement, intended receivers may listen on the multicast group address for the bulk data. Receivers that are not targets for the distribution do not join the multicast group, and consequently, the delivery of data to subnets that have no target receivers may thus be obviated.

Claims

1. A method for multicast distribution of bulk data comprising:

multicasting a message on a selected multicast address, the message including a list of target receivers of a data distribution and a multicast address of the distribution, wherein a set of potential target receivers listens on the selected multicast address, and wherein a receiver in the set of potential target receivers selectively joins a multicast group having the multicast address of the distribution in response to the list of target receivers; and

multicasting the data distribution on the multicast address included in the message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a receiver does not join the multicast group having the multicast address in the message if the receiver is not included in the list of target receivers.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a receiver joins a multicast group having the multicast address in the message if the receiver is included in the list of target receivers.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the selected multicast address is selected randomly.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein randomly selecting the selected multicast address includes:

randomly selecting a first multicast address from a predetermined set of multicast addresses;

listening on the first multicast address;

if there is traffic on the first multicast address, listening on a second multicast address comprising a next address in the predetermined set of multicast addresses;

if there is no network traffic on the first multicast address, selecting the first multicast address; and

if there is network traffic on the second network address, repeating the steps of listening on a next multicast address and selecting a multicast address if there is no traffic on the multicast address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of listening on the first multicast address has a duration in a time interval of between one (1) second and fifteen (15) seconds.

7. A computer program product embodied in a tangible storage medium, the program product including programming instructions for multicast distribution of bulk data comprising instructions for:

multicasting a message on a selected multicast address, the message including a list of target receivers of a data distribution and a multicast address of the distribution, wherein a set of potential target receivers listens on the selected multicast address, and wherein a receiver in the set of potential target receivers selectively joins a multicast group having the multicast address of the distribution in response to the list of target receivers; and

multicasting the data distribution on the multicast address included in the message.

8. The program product of claim 7 wherein a receiver does not join the multicast group having the multicast address in the message if the receiver is not included in the list of target receivers.

9. The program product of claim 8 wherein a receiver joins a multicast group having the multicast address in the message if the receiver is included in the list of target receivers.

10. The program product of claim 8 wherein the selected multicast address is selected randomly.

11. The program product of claim 10 wherein randomly selecting the selected multicast address includes:

randomly selecting a first multicast address from a predetermined set of multicast addresses;

listening on the first multicast address;

if there is traffic on the first multicast address, listening on a second multicast address comprising a next address in the predetermined set of multicast addresses;

if there is no network traffic on the first multicast address, selecting the first multicast address; and

if there is network traffic on the second network address, repeating the steps of listening on a next multicast address and selecting a multicast address if there is no traffic on the multicast address.

12. The program product of claim 10 wherein the step of listening on the first multicast address has a duration in a time interval of between one (1) second and fifteen (15) seconds.

13. A data processing system including:

a source of a bulk data distribution operable for connecting to a network and including;

circuitry operable for multicasting a message on a selected multicast address, the message including a list of target receivers of a data distribution and a multicast address of the distribution, wherein a set of potential target receivers listens on the selected multicast address and wherein a receiver in the set of potential target receivers selectively joins a multicast group having the multicast address of the distribution in response to the list of target receivers; and

circuitry operable for multicasting the data distribution on the multicast address included in the message.

14. The system of claim 13 and further including a plurality of receivers operable for connecting to the network, and wherein a receiver in the plurality of receivers does not join a multicast group having the multicast address in the message if the receiver is not included in the list of target receivers.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein a receiver in the plurality of receivers joins the multicast group having the multicast address in the message if the target receiver is included in the list of target receivers.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the source includes circuitry operable for randomly selecting the selected multicast address.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the circuitry operable for randomly selecting the selected multicast address includes:

circuitry operable for randomly selecting a first multicast address from a predetermined set of multicast addresses;

circuitry operable for listening on the first multicast address;

circuitry operable for, if there is traffic on the first multicast address, listening on a second multicast address comprising a next address in the predetermined set of multicast addresses;

circuitry operable for, if there is no network traffic on the first multicast address, selecting the first multicast address; and

circuitry operable for, if there is network traffic on the second network address, repeating the steps of listening on a next multicast address and selecting a multicast address if there is no traffic on the multicast address.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the circuitry operable for listening on the first multicast address includes circuitry operable for listening for a duration in a time interval of between one (1) second and fifteen (15) seconds.

19. A data processing network including:

a source of a bulk data distribution operable for connecting to a network and wherein the source is operable for multicasting a message on a selected multicast address, the message including a list of target receivers of a data distribution and a multicast address of the distribution, and wherein the source is operable for multicasting the data distribution on the multicast address included in the message;

a first plurality of receivers connected to a first subnetwork, the first subnetwork operable for connecting to the network, wherein the first plurality of receivers listens on the selected multicast address wherein the first plurality of receivers listens on the selected multicast address, and wherein a receiver in the first plurality of receivers does not join a multicast group having the multicast address received in the message if the receiver is not included in the list of target receivers, and a receiver in the first plurality of receivers joining a multicast group having the multicast address received in the message if the receiver is included in the list of target receivers; and

a second plurality of receivers connected to a second subnetwork, the second subnetwork operable for connecting to the network, wherein the second plurality of receivers listens on the selected multicast address, and wherein a receiver in the first plurality of receivers does not join a multicast group having the multicast address received in the message if the receiver is not included in the list of target receivers, and a receiver in the first plurality of receivers joining a multicast group having the multicast address received in the message if the receiver is included in the list of target receivers.