Forming equal cost multipath multicast distribution structures
First Claim
1. A method of forming multicast distribution structures within a network comprising:
- receiving configuration information at a device indicating a number N of a plurality of instances for a multicast group from a single source device; and
joining, at the device, the N instances of the multicast group by sending join requests to become a member of the N instances of the multicast group, wherein each of the N instances corresponds to a different multicast distribution structure within the network for the multicast group, wherein two or more of the different multicast distribution structures for the multicast group comprise alternate multicast distribution structures that define different paths from the source device to a given receiver device, and wherein each of the join requests specifies a different one of the N instances of the multicast group to be joined.
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Abstract
Techniques allow network devices to set up multiple multicast distribution structures for a given multicast group and source. According to the techniques, a multicast protocol is extended to include an instance number in the control messages, where the instance number corresponds to one of a plurality of instances for the multicast group and source. The network device sends a join request for each of the N instances for the multicast group to a plurality of upstream routers. Each of the join requests specifies a different instance of the multicast group to be joined. The source device for the multicast group selects one of the N instances, for example using a unicast Equal Cost Multipath (ECMP) hashing algorithm, and sends multicast content for the multicast group to via the multicast distribution structure corresponding to the selected one of the N instances.
122 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of forming multicast distribution structures within a network comprising:
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receiving configuration information at a device indicating a number N of a plurality of instances for a multicast group from a single source device; and joining, at the device, the N instances of the multicast group by sending join requests to become a member of the N instances of the multicast group, wherein each of the N instances corresponds to a different multicast distribution structure within the network for the multicast group, wherein two or more of the different multicast distribution structures for the multicast group comprise alternate multicast distribution structures that define different paths from the source device to a given receiver device, and wherein each of the join requests specifies a different one of the N instances of the multicast group to be joined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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14. A method of using multicast distribution structures within a network comprising:
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receiving, at a source device for a multicast group, join requests for N instances of a multicast group, wherein at least two of the join requests are received on different paths from a single receiver to the source device, wherein each Of the join requests specifies a different one of the N instances of the multicast group to be joined; selecting, at the source device, one of the N instances for the multicast group; and sending multicast content for the multicast group to the receiver device via a multicast distribution structure corresponding to the selected one of the N instances, wherein the multicast distribution structure is one of two or more alternate multicast distribution structures that define different paths from the source device to the receiver device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A network device comprising:
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a control unit for storing configuration data that specifies an instance number N; a multicast protocol operable on the control unit for generating join requests for N instances of a multicast group, wherein each of the N instances corresponds to a different multicast distribution structure for the multicast group, wherein two or more of the different multicast distribution structures comprise alternate multicast distribution structures that define different paths from the source device to a given receiver device, and wherein each of the join requests specifies a different one of the N instances of the multicast group to be joined; and an interface to output the join requests to a plurality of upstream devices located between the network device and a source device for the multicast group to join the multicast group. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system comprising:
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a source device that provides multicast content for a multicast group; and a network device coupled to the source device via a plurality of upstream devices located between the network device and the source device, wherein the network device sends a join request for each of a specified plurality of instances N for a multicast group from the network device to the plurality of upstream devices, wherein each of the N instances corresponds to a different multicast distribution structure for the multicast group, wherein two or more of the different multicast distribution structures comprise alternate multicast distribution structures that define different paths from the source device to a given receiver device, and wherein each of the join requests specifies a different one of the N instances to be joined, and wherein the source device selects one of the N instances and sends the multicast content for the multicast group to the network device via the multicast distribution structure corresponding to the selected one of the N instances. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
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receive configuration information specifying a number N of a plurality of instances for a multicast group from a single source device, wherein each of the N instances corresponds to a different multicast distribution structure for the multicast group, wherein two or more of the different multicast distribution structures comprise alternate multicast distribution structures that define different paths from the source device to a given receiver device; and send a join request for each of the N instances from the device to a plurality of upstream routers located between the device and the source device for the multicast group to become a member of each of the N instances, wherein each of the join requests specifies a different one of the N instances of the multicast group to be joined.
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Specification