Multicast miss notification for a distributed network switch
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for multicast miss notification in a distributed network switch that includes a first switch module, the method comprisingreceiving, by a bridge element of the first switch module, a frame destined for a multicast group on a network, wherein the first switch module includes a management controller associated with a global multicast forwarding table that includes a plurality of forwarding entries, wherein the bridge element is associated with a local multicast forwarding table specific to the bridge element and that includes a subset of the plurality of forwarding entries;
- determining that the local multicast forwarding table associated with the bridge element does not include a forwarding entry for the multicast group for which the frame is addressed;
selecting a first forwarding entry from the local multicast forwarding table as a candidate for replacing with a forwarding entry for the multicast group for which the frame is destined; and
sending, to the management controller, an indication that the first forwarding entry is the candidate for replacing with the forwarding entry for the multicast group for which the frame is destined, wherein the indication conforms to a predefined frame format comprising a central controlling bridge MAC address field, a source MAC address field, a key field, and a multicast hint field,thereby providing multicast miss notification in the distributed network switch and reducing an incidence of multicast groups, to which frames are destined, not being found in the local multicast forwarding table, relative to not sending the management controller any indication of candidate forwarding entries for replacement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are provided for multicast miss notification for a distributed network switch. In one embodiment, a bridge element in the distributed network switch receives a frame destined for a multicast group on a network. If a local multicast forwarding table of the bridge element does not include any forwarding entry for the multicast group, a forwarding entry is selected from the local multicast forwarding table as a candidate for being replaced. An indication of the candidate is sent to a management controller in the distributed network switch.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for multicast miss notification in a distributed network switch that includes a first switch module, the method comprising
receiving, by a bridge element of the first switch module, a frame destined for a multicast group on a network, wherein the first switch module includes a management controller associated with a global multicast forwarding table that includes a plurality of forwarding entries, wherein the bridge element is associated with a local multicast forwarding table specific to the bridge element and that includes a subset of the plurality of forwarding entries; -
determining that the local multicast forwarding table associated with the bridge element does not include a forwarding entry for the multicast group for which the frame is addressed; selecting a first forwarding entry from the local multicast forwarding table as a candidate for replacing with a forwarding entry for the multicast group for which the frame is destined; and sending, to the management controller, an indication that the first forwarding entry is the candidate for replacing with the forwarding entry for the multicast group for which the frame is destined, wherein the indication conforms to a predefined frame format comprising a central controlling bridge MAC address field, a source MAC address field, a key field, and a multicast hint field, thereby providing multicast miss notification in the distributed network switch and reducing an incidence of multicast groups, to which frames are destined, not being found in the local multicast forwarding table, relative to not sending the management controller any indication of candidate forwarding entries for replacement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification