EQUIPMENT IN A DATA NETWORK AND METHODS FOR MONITORING, CONFIGURING AND/OR MANAGING THE EQUIPMENT

• US 20110010441A1
• Filed: 09/07/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Media Patents S.L.
• Original Assignee: Media Patents S.L.
• Inventors: Gutiérrez, Álvaro Fernández
• Granted Patent: US 8,340,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1868 Measures taken after transmission, e.g. acknowledgments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers

Abstract

A router having one or more downstream interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast data packets to at least one multicast group address and multiple hosts that request data from the multicast group address and sources. In one implementation the router has a management system agent and an associated management system agent database and stores for each network interface, each multicast group address and each host information in the management system agent database derived from one or more data requests made by the hosts. In one implementation the router stores for a downstream network interface and multicast group address at least one INCLUDE source record containing information about include source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and at least one EXCLUDE source record containing information about exclude source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts in the management system agent database, the router using a host-router multicast routing protocol based on the IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) or the MLD (Multicast Listener Discovery) protocol to communicate with the one or more hosts, the router using a different protocol to communicate with a management system control station information stored in the management system database.

Claims

1. A router having one or more downstream interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast data packets to at least one multicast group address and multiple hosts that request data from the multicast group address and sources, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the router storing for each network interface, each multicast group address and each host information in the management system agent database derived from one or more data requests made by the hosts.

2. A router according to claim 1, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is an SNMP database.

3. A router according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises multicast group address and source address information.

4. A router according to claim 1, wherein the router communicates with the hosts via a communications protocol based on a version of the IGMP or the MLD protocol.

5. A router according to claim 1, wherein the router uses a version of the PIM protocol to request the multicast data sent by the sources.

6. A router according to claim 1, wherein the router communicates with the hosts via a communications protocol based on the IGMP or the MLD protocol and wherein the router uses a version of the PIM protocol to request the multicast data sent by the sources.

7. A router according to claim 1, wherein the data request of a host separately contains INCLUDE filter mode source lists of a multicast group address, indicating that a host wishes to receive data sent by the INCLUDE sources and EXCLUDE filter mode source lists of a multicast group address, indicating that the host wishes to receive data sent by all the sources of the multicast group except the EXCLUDE sources.

8. A router according to claim 1, wherein the router has a first memory not associated with the management system agent and stores for each network interface, each multicast group address and each host a record in the first memory derived from the one or more data requests made by the hosts which comprises multicast group address and source address information.

9. A router according to claim 1, wherein the router stores executable instructions for receiving the requests originating from a host and storing for each network interface and multicast group address INCLUDE source data and EXCLUDE source data in the SNMP database when the requests contain such data.

10. A router according to claim 1, wherein the management system agent comprises executable instructions for receiving the requests originating from a host and storing for each network interface and multicast group address INCLUDE source data and EXCLUDE source data in the management system agent database when the requests contain such data.

11. A router according to claim 8, wherein the router stores executable instructions for receiving the requests originating from a host and storing for each network interface and multicast group address INCLUDE source data and EXCLUDE source data in the first memory when the requests contain such data.

12. A router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to at least one multicast group address and one or more hosts that request data from the multicast group address and the sources, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the router storing for a downstream network interface and multicast group address at least one INCLUDE source record containing information about include source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and at least one EXCLUDE source record containing information about exclude source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts in the management system agent database, the router using a host-router multicast routing protocol based on the IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) or the MLD (Multicast Listener Discovery) protocol to communicate with the one or more hosts, the router using a different protocol to communicate with a management system control station information stored in the management system database.

13. A router according to claim 12, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database, the different protocol is based on the SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

14. A router according to claim 12, wherein the router comprises a first memory not associated with the management system agent, the router storing for a downstream network interface and multicast group address at least one INCLUDE source record containing information about include source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and at least one EXCLUDE source record containing information about exclude source lists derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts in the first memory.

15. A router according to claim 14, wherein the router maintains a source-timer for each of the sources in the include and exclude source lists, the router transmitting for the network interface and each multicast group address multicast packets to the hosts based on the information of the at least one INCLUDE source record and the at least one EXCLUDE source record in the first memory, the router transmitting for each INCLUDE source of a multicast group address having a source-timer of a value greater than zero multicast packets through the downstream network interface and also transmitting multicast packets of the sources of the multicast group address through the network interface except the EXCLUDE sources having a source timer of a value zero.

16. A router according to claim 12, wherein the router stores for the network interface and multicast group address only one INCLUDE source record and only one EXCLUDE source record in the SNMP database.

17. A router according to claim 14, wherein the router stores for the network interface and multicast group address only one INCLUDE source record and only one EXCLUDE source record in the first memory.

18. A router according to claim 12, wherein the router stores executable instructions for updating the at least one INCLUDE source record and/or the at least one EXCLUDE source record in the first memory and/or the management system agent database upon receiving a state message or change of state message originating from the one or more of hosts.

19. A router according to claim 12, wherein the management system agent comprises executable instructions for updating the at least one INCLUDE source record and/or the at least one EXCLUDE source record in the SNMP database upon receiving a state message or change of state message originating from the one or more of hosts.

20. A router according to claim 12, wherein the router uses a router-router multicast routing protocol to communicate with at least one other router situated between itself and the sources

21. A router according to claim 20, wherein the router-router multicast routing protocol is a version of a PIM (Protocol Independent Multicast) protocol.

22. A router according to claim 12, wherein upon receiving in the downstream network interface an IS_IN(x) type message for a multicast group address no EXCLUDE source records for the multicast group address are modified in the management system agent database.

23. A router according to claim 12, wherein upon receiving in the downstream network interface an IS_EX(x) type message for a multicast group address no INCLUDE source records for the multicast group address are modified in the management system agent database.

24. A router according to claim 14, wherein upon receiving in the downstream network interface an IS_IN(x) type message for a multicast group address no EXCLUDE source records for the multicast group address are modified in the first memory.

25. A router according to claim 14, wherein upon receiving in the downstream network interface an IS_EX(x) type message for a multicast group address no INCLUDE source records for the multicast group address are modified in the first memory.

26. A process implemented in a router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to at least one multicast group address and one or more hosts that request data from the multicast group address and the sources, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the router storing for a downstream network interface and a multicast group address at least an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts in the management system agent database, the process comprising modifying the INCLUDE record upon receiving a MODE_IS_INCLUDE type message from a host without modifying the EXCLUDE record.

27. A process according to claim 26 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

28. A process according to claim 26, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

29. A process according to claim 27, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

30. A method for updating a database associated with a management system agent of a router having one or more downstream network interfaces, the database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface a MODE_IS_INCLUDE message having an include source list containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the INCLUDE record source list to contain the union of the sources or sets of sources A and B (A+B) without modifying the EXCLUDE record.

31. A method according to claim 30 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the database to a management system agent control station.

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the database is a SNMP database.

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

34. A process implemented in a router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to at least one multicast group address and one or more hosts that request data from the multicast group address and the sources, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the router storing for a downstream network interface and a multicast group address at least an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts in the management system agent database, the process comprising modifying the EXCLUDE source record upon receiving a MODE_IS_INCLUDE type message from a host without modifying the INCLUDE record.

35. A process according to claim 34 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

36. A process according to claim 34, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

37. A process according to claim 35, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

38. A method for updating a database associated with a management system agent of a router having one or more downstream network interfaces, the database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface a MODE_IS_EXCLUDE message having an exclude source list containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the EXCLUDE record source list to have a requested list containing the set of sources B minus the sources of B that are also in the set of sources Y (B−

Y) and an exclude list containing the intersection of the sets of sources Y and B (Y*B) without modifying the INCLUDE record.

39. A method according to claim 38 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the database to a management system agent control station.

40. A method according to claim 38, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the database is a SNMP database.

41. A method according to claim 39, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

42. A method for updating a database associated with a management system agent of a router having one or more downstream network interfaces, the database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface an ALLOW message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the INCLUDE record source list to contain the union of the sources or sets of sources A and B (A+B) without modifying the EXCLUDE record.

43. A method according to claim 42 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the database to a management system agent control station.

44. A method according to claim 42, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the database is a SNMP database.

45. A method according to claim 43, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

46. A method for updating a database associated with a management system agent of a router having one or more downstream network interfaces, the database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface an ALLOW type message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the INCLUDE record source list to contain the union of the sources or sets of sources A and B (A+B) without modifying the EXCLUDE record.

47. A method according to claim 46 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the database to a management system agent control station.

48. A method according to claim 46, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the database is a SNMP database.

49. A method according to claim 47, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

50. A method for updating a database associated with a management system agent of a router having one or more downstream network interfaces, the database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface an ALLOW type message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the EXCLUDE record source list to have a requested list containing the union of the set of sources X and B (X+B) and an exclude list containing the set of sources Y minus the set of sources Y that are also in the set of sources B (Y−

B) without modifying the INCLUDE record.

51. A method according to claim 50 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the database to a management system agent control station.

52. A method according to claim 50, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the database is a SNMP database.

53. A method according to claim 51, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

54. A method for updating a database associated with a management system agent of a router having one or more downstream network interfaces, the database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface a BLOCK type message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and in response not modifying the INCLUDE or the EXCLUDE record.

55. A method according to claim 54 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the database to a management system agent control station.

56. A method according to claim 54, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the database is a SNMP database.

57. A method according to claim 55, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

58. A method for updating a database associated with a management agent of a router having one or more downstream network interfaces, the database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface an BLOCK type message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the EXCLUDE record source list to have a requested list containing the union of the set of sources X and the set of sources B minus the set of B sources that are also in the set of sources Y (X+(B−

Y)) and an exclude list containing the set of sources Y without modifying the INCLUDE record.

59. A method according to claim 58 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the database to a management system agent control station.

60. A method according to claim 58, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

61. A method according to claim 59, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

62. A process implemented in a router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to at least one multicast group address and one or more hosts that request data from the multicast group address and the sources, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the router storing for a downstream network interface and a multicast group address at least an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts in a first memory not associated with the management system agent and in the management system agent database, the process comprising modifying the INCLUDE record upon receiving a MODE_IS_INCLUDE type message from a host without modifying the EXCLUDE record.

63. A process according to claim 62 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

64. A process according to claim 62, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

65. A process according to claim 63, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

66. A method for updating a state transition table of a router having one or more downstream network interfaces, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the transition table and management system agent database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface a MODE_IS_INCLUDE message having an include source list containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the INCLUDE record source list to contain the union of the sources or sets of sources A and B (A+B) without modifying the EXCLUDE record.

67. A method according to claim 66 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

68. A method according to claim 66, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

69. A method according to claim 67, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

70. A process implemented in a router having one or more downstream network interfaces and situated in a data network system between sources that send multicast packets to at least one multicast group address and one or more hosts that request data from the multicast group address and the sources, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the router storing for a downstream network interface and a multicast group address at least an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources derived by data requests made by the one or more hosts in a first memory not associated with the management system agent and in the management system agent database, the process comprising modifying the EXCLUDE source record upon receiving a MODE_IS_INCLUDE type message from a host without modifying the INCLUDE record.

71. A process according to claim 70 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

72. A process according to claim 70, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

73. A process according to claim 71, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

74. A method for updating a state transition table of a router that receives multicast packets from one or more multicast group addresses and having one or more downstream network interfaces, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the state transition table and management system agent database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface a MODE_IS_EXCLUDE message having an exclude source list containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the EXCLUDE record source list to have a requested list containing the set of sources B minus the sources of B that are also in the set of sources Y (B−

Y) and an exclude list containing the intersection of the sets of sources Y and B (Y*B) without modifying the INCLUDE record.

75. A method according to claim 74 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

76. A method according to claim 74, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

77. A method according to claim 75, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

78. A method for updating a state transition table of a router that receives multicast packets from one or more multicast group addresses and having one or more downstream network interfaces, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the state transition table and management system agent database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface an ALLOW message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the INCLUDE record source list to contain the union of the sources or sets of sources A and B (A+B) without modifying the EXCLUDE record.

79. A method according to claim 78 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

80. A method according to claim 78, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

81. A method according to claim 79, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

82. A method for updating a state transition table of a router that receives multicast packets from one or more multicast group addresses and having one or more downstream network interfaces, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the state transition table and management system agent database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface an ALLOW type message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the EXCLUDE record source list to have a requested list containing the union of the set of sources X and B (X+B) and an exclude list containing the set of sources Y minus the set of sources Y that are also in the set of sources B (Y−

B) without modifying the INCLUDE record.

83. A method according to claim 82 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

84. A method according to claim 82, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

85. A method according to claim 83, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

86. A method for maintaining a state transition table of a router that receives multicast packets from one or more multicast group addresses and having one or more downstream network interfaces, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the state transition table and the management system agent database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface a BLOCK type message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and in response not modifying the INCLUDE or the EXCLUDE record.

87. A method according to claim 86 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

88. A method according to claim 86, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

89. A method according to claim 87, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.

90. A method for updating a state transition table of a router that receives multicast packets from one or more multicast group addresses and having one or more downstream network interfaces, the router having a management system agent and an associated management system agent database, the state transition table and the management system agent database storing for a particular downstream network interface and a particular multicast group address an INCLUDE record having an include source list containing a source or set of sources A and an EXCLUDE record having a requested list containing a source or set of sources X and an exclude list containing a source or set of sources Y, the method comprising:

receiving through the particular downstream network interface an BLOCK type message containing a source or set of sources B of the multicast group address and;

changing the EXCLUDE record source list to have a requested list containing the union of the set of sources X and the set of sources B minus the set of B sources that are also in the set of sources Y (X+(B−

Y)) and an exclude list containing the set of sources Y without modifying the INCLUDE record.

91. A method according to claim 90 further comprising transmitting by use of the management system agent information from the management system agent database to a management system agent control station.

92. A method according to claim 90, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent and the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database.

93. A method according to claim 91, wherein the management system agent is a SNMP agent, the associated management system agent database is a SNMP database and the management system control station is a SNMP control station.