Active multicast information protocol
First Claim
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions executable by one or more processors in an edge router, wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising an act ofstoring first multicast group and source addresses in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from another edge router, whereinthe first message comprises the first multicast group and source addresses,the first source address identifies a first source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the first multicast group address, andthe first message indicates that the first source is active;
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Abstract
In the disclosed active multicast information protocol, a first edge router of a network receives a data packet from a source, wherein the data packet comprises data to be sent to receivers of a multicast group. The first edge router may rout the data packet to a first core router within the network. The first edge router also generates a message in response to receiving the data packet. This message is transmitted to the first core router within a network. The message includes an address of the source, but the message lacks data to be transmitted to the receivers of the multicast group. Another edge router stores the first multicast group and source addresses in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from the first edge router.
35 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions executable by one or more processors in an edge router, wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising an act of
storing first multicast group and source addresses in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from another edge router, wherein the first message comprises the first multicast group and source addresses, the first source address identifies a first source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the first multicast group address, and the first message indicates that the first source is active; - and
storing second multicast group and source addresses in another entry of the LUT in response to the edge router receiving a second message directly or indirectly from a third edge router, wherein the second message comprises the second multicast group and source addresses, and the second source address identifies a second source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the second multicast group address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions executable by one or more processors in an edge router, wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising:
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storing a first multicast group address and a first source address that corresponds to the first multicast group address in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from another edge router, wherein the first message comprises the first multicast group and source addresses, the first source address identifies a first source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the first multicast group address, and the first message indicates that the first source is active; obtaining the first source address from the LUT that corresponds to the first multicast group address in response to the edge router receiving a first IGMP membership report from a first device, wherein the first IGMP membership report comprises the first multicast group address but does not comprise the first source address; and generating a first PIM request to join a first multicast group identified by the first multicast group address in response to obtaining the first source address from the LUT, wherein the first PIM request to join comprises the first source address obtained from the LUT. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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an edge router storing first multicast group and source addresses in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from another edge router, wherein the first message comprises the first multicast group and source addresses, the first source address identifies a first source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the first multicast group address, and the first message indicates that the first source is active; and the edge router storing second multicast group and source addresses in another entry of the LUT in response to the edge router receiving a second message directly or indirectly from a third edge router, wherein the second message comprises the second multicast group and source addresses, and the second source address identifies a second source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the second multicast group address. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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an edge router storing a first multicast group address and a first source address that corresponds to the first multicast group address in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from another edge router, wherein the first message comprises the first multicast group and source addresses, the first source address identifies a first source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the first multicast group address, and the first message indicates that the first source is active; the edge router obtaining the first source address from the LUT that corresponds to the first multicast group address, in response to the edge router receiving a first IGMP membership report from a first device, wherein the first IGMP membership report comprises the first multicast group address but does not comprise the first source address; and the edge router generating a first PIM request to join a first multicast group identified by the first multicast group address in response to obtaining the first source address from the LUT, wherein the first PIM request to join comprises the first source address obtained from the LUT. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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an edge router coupled to an SM network and a device; wherein the edge router comprises one or more microprocessors and a memory for storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors implement a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising; storing a first multicast group address and a first source address that corresponds to the first multicast group address in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from another edge router, wherein the first message comprises the first multicast group and source addresses, the first source address identifies a first source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the first multicast group address, and the first message indicates that the first source is active; obtaining the first source address from the LUT that corresponds to the first multicast group address, in response to the edge router receiving a first IGMP membership report from a first device, wherein the first IGMP membership report comprises the address of the first multicast group but does not comprise the address of the first source; and generating a PIM request to join a first multicast group identified by the first multicast group address in response to obtaining the address of the first source from the LUT. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus comprising:
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an edge router coupled to a SM network and a device; means for storing first multicast group and source addresses in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from another edge router, wherein the first message comprises the first multicast group and source addresses, the first source address identifies a first source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the first multicast group address, and the first message indicates that the first source is active; and secondary means for storing second multicast group and source addresses in another entry of the LUT in response to the edge router receiving a second message directly or indirectly from a third edge router, wherein the second message comprises the second multicast group and source addresses, and the second source address identifies a second source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the second multicast group address.
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27. A method comprising:
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an edge router storing first multicast group and source addresses in an entry of a look-up table (LUT) in response to the edge router receiving a first message directly or indirectly from another edge router, wherein the first message comprises the first multicast group and source addresses, the first source address identifies a first source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the first multicast group address, and the first message indicates the first source is active; removing or invalidating the entry from the LUT upon the expiration of a period of time that begins when the entry is stored in the LUT, wherein the period of time is defined by a hold time value within the first message; and the edge router storing second multicast group and source addresses in another entry of the LUT in response to the edge router receiving a second message directly or indirectly from a third edge router, wherein the second message comprises the second multicast group and source addresses, the second source address identifies a second source that transmits data to receivers corresponding to the second multicast group address. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification