OPTIMIZED EQUAL-COST MULTI-PATH (ECMP) FORWARDING DECISION IN BIT INDEX EXPLICIT REPLICATION (BIER)
First Claim
1. A method implemented by a network device for multicasting packets in a multipath network, the method to reduce an overall number of hops that copies of a packet traverse in the network to serve a set of multicast destination nodes, the method comprising:
- receiving the packet, wherein the packet is encapsulated in a header that identifies the set of multicast destination nodes;
determining a first subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a first outgoing interface of the network device;
determining a second subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the second subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a second outgoing interface of the network device;
determining whether the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes; and
removing the first outgoing interface from consideration as a candidate outgoing interface through which to forward the packet in response to determining that the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method implemented by a network device for multicasting packets in a network. The method reduces an overall number of hops that copies of a packet traverse in the network to serve a set of multicast destination nodes. The method includes receiving a packet, determining a first subset of multicast destination nodes that is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a first outgoing interface, determining a second subset of multicast destination nodes that is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a second outgoing interface, determining whether the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes, and removing the first outgoing interface from consideration in response to determining that the first subset is a proper subset of the second subset.
40 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method implemented by a network device for multicasting packets in a multipath network, the method to reduce an overall number of hops that copies of a packet traverse in the network to serve a set of multicast destination nodes, the method comprising:
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receiving the packet, wherein the packet is encapsulated in a header that identifies the set of multicast destination nodes; determining a first subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a first outgoing interface of the network device; determining a second subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the second subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a second outgoing interface of the network device; determining whether the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes; and removing the first outgoing interface from consideration as a candidate outgoing interface through which to forward the packet in response to determining that the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A network device configured to multicast packets in a multipath network, the network device configured to reduce an overall number of hops that copies of a packet traverse in the network to serve a set of multicast destination nodes, the network device comprising:
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a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored therein a multicast component; and a processor communicatively coupled to the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, the processor configured to execute the multicast component, wherein the multicast component is configured to receive the packet, wherein the packet is encapsulated in a header that identifies the set of multicast destination nodes, the multicast component further configured to determine a first subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a first outgoing interface of the network device, the multicast component further configured to determine a second subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the second subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a second outgoing interface of the network device, the multicast component further configured to determine whether the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes and remove the first outgoing interface from consideration as a candidate outgoing interface through which to forward the packet in response to determining that the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having computer code stored therein, which when executed by a set of one or more processors of a network device in a multipath network, causes the network device to perform operations for multicasting packets in the network, the operations to reduce an overall number of hops that copies of a packet traverse in the network to serve a set of multicast destination nodes, the operations comprising:
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receiving the packet, wherein the packet is encapsulated in a header that identifies the set of multicast destination nodes; determining a first subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a first outgoing interface of the network device; determining a second subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the second subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a second outgoing interface of the network device; determining whether the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes; and removing the first outgoing interface from consideration as a candidate outgoing interface through which to forward the packet in response to determining that the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computing device implementing a plurality of virtual machines for implementing network function virtualization (NFV), wherein a virtual machine from the plurality of virtual machines is configured to multicast packets in a multipath network, the virtual machine configured to reduce an overall number of hops that copies of a packet traverse in the network to serve a set of multicast destination nodes, the computing device comprising:
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a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored therein a multicast component; and a processor communicatively couples to the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, the processor configured to execute the virtual machine, where the virtual machine is configured to implement the multicast component, the multicast component configured to determine a first subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a first outgoing interface of the computing device, the multicast component further configured to determine a second subset of multicast destination nodes, wherein the second subset of multicast destination nodes is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a second outgoing interface of the computing device, the multicast component further configured to determine whether the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes and remove the first outgoing interface from consideration as a candidate outgoing interface through which to forward the packet in response to determining that the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification