Multicast Distribution Tree Switching

• US 20170288890A1
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: CHAI, Jialin
• Granted Patent: US 10,454,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1854 with non-centralised forwarding system, e.g. chaincast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]

Abstract

A mapping relationship between a private network multicast group address, which may be preset to support switching from a default Multicast Distribution Tree (MDT) to a data MDT, and a data group address may be stored in a first PE device. If a private network multi cast data flow corresponding to the mapping relationship satisfies a condition of switching from the default MDT to the data MDT, the first PE device may send a data MDT switch initiation packet including the private network multicast group address and the data group address to a second PE device on the default MDI, so that the second PE device joins the data MDT, a root of which is the first PE device, using the data group address. The first PE device may switch the private network multicast data flow to the data MDT, so that the private network multicast data flow is transmitted on the data MDT.

Claims

1. A Multicast Distribution Tree (MDT) switching method, comprising:

storing, by a first Provider Edge (PE) device, a mapping relationship between a private network multicast group address, which is preset to support switching from a default MDT to a data MDT, and a data group address;

if private network multicast data flow corresponding to the mapping relationship satisfies a condition of switching from the default MDT to the data MDT, sending, by the first PE device, a data MDT switch initiation packet including the private network multicast group address and the data group address to a second PE device on the default MDT, so that the second PE device joins the data MDT, a root of which is the first PE device, using the data group address; and

switching, by the first PE device, the private network multicast data flow to the data MDT, so that the private network multicast data flow is transmitted on the data MDT.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the first PE device is a Rendezvous Port (RP) PE device, which is closest to a bidirectional Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) RP of a private network, the method further comprises:

creating, by the RP PE device, the mapping relationship between the private network multicast group address and the data group address;

sending, by the RP PE device, the mapping relationship to all other PE devices on the default MDT, so that all the other PE devices on the default MDT store the mapping relationship.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the data group address is a data group address, which is least cited, in a group of data group addresses corresponding to an instance, to which the private network multicast group address belongs;

sending, by the RP PE device, the mapping relationship to all the other PE devices on the default MDT comprises;

sending, by the RP PE device, the mapping relationship between the private network multicast group address and the data group address, which is least cited, to all the other PE devices on the default MDT.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the first PE device is not a Rendezvous Port (RP) PE device, which is closest to a bidirectional Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) RP of a private network, the method further comprises:

receiving, by the first PE device, the mapping relationship from the RP PE device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

when a condition of switching from the data MDT to the default MDT is satisfied, stopping, by the first PE device, using the data group address;

encapsulating, by the first PE device, the private network multicast data flow using the private network multicast group address.

5. The method according to claim further comprising:

receiving, by the first PE device, a first data MDT switch initiation packet from another PE device, the first data MDT switch initiation packet including a first private network multicast group address, which is preset to support switching from a first default MDT to a first data MDT, and a first data group address corresponding to the first private network multicast group address;

checking, by the first PE device, whether the first PE device connects with a receiver, which receives private network multicast data flow corresponding to the first private network multicast group address;

if the first PE device connects with the receiver, joining in, by the first PE device, a first data group corresponding to the first data group address to create the first data MDT;

if the first PE device does not connect with the receiver, storing, by the first PE device, the first private network multicast group address and the first data group address and joining in, by the first PE device, the first data group after the first PE device connects with the receiver.

7. A Provider Edge (PE) device, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium and a processor, wherein the processor is to execute machine readable instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium to;

store a mapping relationship between a private network multicast group address, which is preset to support switching from a default multicast distribution tree (MDT) to a data MDT, and a data group address;

if private network multicast data flow corresponding to the mapping relationship satisfies a condition of switching from the default MDT to the data MDT, send a data MDT switch initiation packet including the private network multicast group address and the data group address to a second PE device on the default MDT, so that the second PE device joins the data MDT, a root of which is the PE device, using the data group address; and

switch the private network multicast data flow to the data MDT, so that the private network multicast data flow is transmitted on the data MDT.

8. The PE device according to claim 7, wherein if the PE device is a Rendezvous Port (RP) PE device, which is closest to a bidirectional Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) RP of a private network, the processor is further to execute the machine readable instructions in the non-transitory storage medium, to

create the mapping relationship between the private network multicast group address and the data group address;

and

send the mapping relationship to all other PE devices on the default MDT, so that all the other PE devices on the default MDT store the mapping relationship.

9. The PE device according to claim 8, wherein the data group address is a data group address, which is least cited, in a group of data group addresses corresponding to an instance, to which the private network multicast group address belongs;

the processor is further to execute the machine readable instructions in the non-transitory storage medium, to

send the mapping relationship between the private network multicast group address and the data group address, which is least cited, to all the other PE devices on the default MDT.

10. The PE device according to claim 7, if the PE device is not an RP PE device, which is closest to a bidirectional PIM RP of a private network, the processor is further to execute the machine readable instructions in the non-transitory storage medium, to

receive the mapping relationship from the RP PE device.

11. The PE device according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further to execute the machine readable instructions in the non-transitory storage medium, to

receive a first data MDT switch initiation packet from a third PE device, the first data MDT switch initiation packet including a first private network multicast group address, which is preset to support switching from a first default MDT to a first data MDT, and a first data group address corresponding to the first private network multicast group address;

check whether the PE device connects with a receiver, which receives private network multicast data flow corresponding to the first private network multicast group address;

if the PE device connects with the receiver, join in a first data group corresponding to the first data group address using the first data group address to create the first data MDT;

if the PE device does not connect with the receiver, store the first private network multicast group address and the first data group address and join in the first data group after the PE device connects with the receiver.

12. The PE device according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further to execute the machine readable instructions in the non-transitory storage medium, to

when a condition of switching from the data MDT to the default MDT is satisfied, stop using the data group address;

encapsulate the private network multicast data flow using the private network multicast group address.