The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 10, 2014
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2010
Srikanth Keesara, Tewksbury, MA (US);
Christopher Monti, Tyngsboro, MA (US);
Richard Thomas Strong, Amherst, NH (US);
Deborah Ellen Fitzgerald, Acton, MA (US);
Srikanth Keesara, Tewksbury, MA (US);
Christopher Monti, Tyngsboro, MA (US);
Richard Thomas Strong, Amherst, NH (US);
Deborah Ellen Fitzgerald, Acton, MA (US);
Avaya, Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus provide for a network device(s) employing tree tracer processing of a data packet(s) and/or a response(s) in order to discover and graphically represent all the paths within a hierarchical tree of network devices for multicast traffic flows. Specifically, a first network device receives a data packet. The data packet provides a multicast target MAC address. The first network device forwards the data packet to a plurality of network devices, where each of the plurality of the network devices belong to a multicast group identified according to the multicast target MAC address. Based on receipt of the data packet, the first network device generates and transmits a first response to a source of the data packet. The first response indicates a placement of the first network device with respect to a hierarchical tree of the plurality of network devices belonging to the multicast group.