Cisco Technology, Inc.

Cisco Systems Inc.

Daniel A Alvarez

Toerless Eckert

Arjen Boers

Lorenzo Vicisano

Yiqun Cai

Ali Sajassi

Dino Farinacci

John M Zwiebel

Ijsbrand Wijnands

Kent Kinchu Leung

Johnson Leong

Lev Shvarts

Srinivas Subramanian

Jesus Arango

Rituparna Agrawal

Andrew Harris Kessler

According to one example embodiment, an EID-NOTIFY packet is defined for use with the Location/Identifier Separation Protocol (LISP). A first-hop network element may send EID-NOTIFY responsive to decoding a data packet from a previously undetected host on its subnetwork. A site network element may receive EID-NOTIFY, and send a MAP-REGISTER message to a mapping system. EID-NOTIFY may have substantially the same format as MAP-NOTIFY. This may enable the site network element to be removed more than one hop from the subnetwork.

Network device mobility

A method of routing multicast traffic in a computer network is disclosed. The method comprises associating a plurality of multicast group addresses on a network device with respective multicast routing topologies. A network device and a network are also disclosed.

Method of routing multicast traffic

In one embodiment, a method for routing data flow during ECMP routing between two network nodes is provided. The method may comprise determining a bandwidth requirement of a data flow during ECMP routing, the data flow to be sent between at least two network nodes, the at least two network nodes communicating via a plurality of data paths. The method may further comprise determining the available bandwidth on each of the plurality of data paths and selecting the data path having sufficient bandwidth to accommodate the bandwidth of the data flow.

Bandwidth based selection for routing data

A provider edge (PE) node of a network operates to send a trace path message over the network to a receiver PE node, the trace path message recording a list of intermediate nodes of a unicast path from the PE node to the receiver PE node; and receive a join message initiated from the receiver PE node, the join message using the list to propagate to the source PE node through the intermediate nodes such that a branch of a multicast tree is aligned with the unicast path. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Optimal bridging over MPLS/IP through alignment of multicast and unicast paths

A method is provided in one example embodiment and it includes receiving a first plurality of packets from an active stream at an output device and communicating the first plurality of packets to a next destination. The method also includes receiving a second plurality of packets from a standby stream of the output device, the streams are sent by an input device. The method further includes performing a switchover at the output device such that the second plurality of packets is communicated to the next destination and the first plurality of packets is not. The switchover is triggered when a portion of the first plurality of the packets from the active stream is not received during a period of time that is greater than a majority of inter-arrival times of the second plurality of packets on the standby stream.

System and method for providing a multipath switchover between redundant streams

Facilitating Bi-Directional PIM communication between hosts in different multicast domains. A first rendezvous point (RP) router contained in a first multicast domain receives a first control packet. The first control packet includes a first multicast destination address G. In response to receiving the first control packet, the first RP router generates a second control packet. This second control packet includes a second multicast destination address G, wherein the second multicast destination address Gis distinct from the first multicast IP address G. After the second control packet is generated, the first RP router transmitting the second control packet toward a second RP router contained in a second multicast domain. The second control packet initiates a distribution tree building process between the first and second RP routers. This distribution tree can be used to transmit multicast data packets between the first and second RP routers. For example, first RP router encapsulates multicast data packets it receives from sources in the first RP router's domain. The first RP router then transmits the encapsulated packets to the second RP via the distribution tree. The second RP router receives the encapsulated packets. The second RP router decapsulates the packets to produce the multicast data packets, which are subsequently distributed to hosts within the second RP router's domain.

Interdomain bi-directional protocol independent multicast

A mechanism that provides congruent forwarding paths for unicast and multicast data traffic over a service provider core network includes issuing, by a receiver edge node, a request to join a multicast tree structure. A unicast path from the receiver edge node to a source node of the provider network is then established using a special message that contains an identifier. The identifier allows the unicast path through the core network to be aligned with the multicast tree structure. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Congruent forwarding paths for unicast and multicast traffic

A method, apparatus, or computer executable instructions for converting Protocol Independent Mode (PIM) requests. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a first multicast routing protocol (MRP) message, wherein the first MRP message is a request to join a multicast group of receivers. The first MRP message is translated into a second MRP message, wherein the second MRP message is a request to join the multicast group of receivers to which data is being provided by a specific source. The method could be performed by a router contained in a sparse mode network, wherein the sparse mode network is coupled to a source specific mode network that contains the specific source.

PIM sparse mode to source specific multicast conversion

Methods and apparatus for supporting a Mobile IP mobile router are disclosed. A method of establishing a multicast session, thereby enabling multicast IP data packets to be transmitted to the multicast mobile router, include registering the mobile router with its Home Agent. Upon receipt of a registration reply from the Home Agent, the mobile router sends a join host group message. The join host group messages specifies a multicast group address and requests that a source or rendezvous point send packets destined to the multicast group address to a Foreign Agent to which the multicast mobile router has roamed when the multicast group address is a global scope address. Thus, multicast IP data packets may be received from the Home Agent when the data packets are addressed to an administrative scope address, while multicast IP data packets are received from the Foreign Agent when the data packets are addressed to a global scope address.

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Daniel A Alvarez