Methods and apparatus for implementing protection for multicast services
First Claim
1. A method to support fast rerouting in a network, the method comprising:
- configuring the network to include at least one backup path with respect to a primary network path that supports multi-protocol label switching of multicast data traffic;
transmitting the multicast data traffic from a first router over the primary network path to a second router; and
in response to detecting a failure in the network, initiating transmission of the multicast data traffic over the at least one backup path in lieu of transmitting the multicast data traffic over the primary network path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A router in a label-switching network sets up one or more backup paths to forward multicast data traffic in the event of a failure. Network failures include link failures and node failures. If a link failure occurs, a given router in a respective label-switching network can forward multicast data traffic on a first backup path to a next hop downstream router that it normally sends the multicast data traffic. If the next hop downstream router fails, the given router can circumvent sending the multicast data traffic to the next hop downstream router and instead send the multicast data traffic on respective backup paths to the set of routers (e.g., next next hop downstream routers) that the next hop downstream router (e.g., the failing router) normally would forward the multicast data traffic in the absence of the network failure.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method to support fast rerouting in a network, the method comprising:
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configuring the network to include at least one backup path with respect to a primary network path that supports multi-protocol label switching of multicast data traffic;
transmitting the multicast data traffic from a first router over the primary network path to a second router; and
in response to detecting a failure in the network, initiating transmission of the multicast data traffic over the at least one backup path in lieu of transmitting the multicast data traffic over the primary network path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer system for implementing multicasting communication services in a label-switching network, the computer system comprising:
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a processor;
a memory unit that stores instructions associated with an application executed by the processor; and
an interconnect coupling the processor and the memory unit, enabling the computer system to execute the application and perform operations of;
configuring the network to include at least one backup path with respect to a primary network path that supports multicast label switching of multicast data traffic;
transmitting the multicast data traffic from the computer system over the primary network path to a router; and
in response to detecting a failure in the network, initiating transmission of the multicast data traffic over the at least one backup path in lieu of transmitting the multicast data traffic over the primary network path. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A label-switching network system comprising:
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a first data communication device;
a second data communication device; and
the first data communication device supporting operations of;
configuring the label-switching network to include at least one backup path with respect to a primary network path that supports multicast label switching of multicast data traffic;
transmitting the multicast data traffic from the first data communication device over the primary network path to the second data communication device; and
in response to detecting a failure in the label-switching network, initiating transmission of the multicast data traffic over the at least one backup path in lieu of transmitting the multicast data traffic over the primary network path;
the second data communication device supporting operations of;
.initiating a label checking routine at the second data communication device in lieu of RPF (Reverse Path Forwarding) checking at the second data communication device prior to forwarding the multicast data traffic to a next hop router, the label checking routine verifying whether the received multicast data traffic includes a label normally received at the second data communication device for data traffic received from the first data communication device.
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31. A computer system for implementing multicasting services, the computer system including:
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means for configuring the network to include at least one backup path with respect to a primary network path that supports multicast label switching of multicast data traffic;
means for transmitting the multicast data traffic from a first router over the primary network path to a second router; and
means for initiating transmission of the multicast data traffic over the at least one backup path in lieu of transmitting the multicast data traffic over the primary network path in response to detecting a failure in the network.
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32. A computer program product including a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for processing data information, such that the instructions, when carried out by a processing device, enable the processing device to perform the steps of:
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configuring a label-switching network to include at least one backup path with respect to a primary network path that supports multicast label switching of multicast data traffic;
transmitting the multicast data traffic from a first router over the primary network path to a second router; and
in response to detecting a failure in the network, initiating transmission of the multicast data traffic over the at least one backup path in lieu of transmitting the multicast data traffic over the primary network path.
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Specification