Method and system for managing multicast traffic

摘要

A system for controlling multicast traffic in a multiprocessing system is disclosed. The multiprocessing system includes a general-purpose processor, a plurality of network processors and a switch fabric. The system comprises a multicast identifier (MID) manager to manage a distributed database of MIDs. The distributed database includes at least one compound MID. The at least one compound MID structure further comprises a plurality of MIDs representing at least two multicast groups. The system also includes a MID processor which traverses the at least one compound MID and resolves it into its associated simple MIDs. Accordingly, the present invention provides for a system and method for efficiently controlling multicast transmissions when different types of multicast groups are to receive the multicast transmissions. In this system and method a new type of multicast identifier (MID) is provided, a compound MID. The compound MID is a single MID but references multiple MIDs. The system includes a MID manager which manages a distributed database of MIDS. Finally, the system and method includes at least one MID processor which accesses the appropriate compound MIDs and resolves them into the simple member MIDs to allow a router to provide the information to an appropriate bridge.