MTU DISCOVERY OVER MULTICAST PATH USING BIT INDEXED EXPLICIT REPLICATION

摘要

A method and system provides for path maximum transmission unit (PMTU) discovery (PMTUD) for a multicast distribution implemented in a network using bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) architecture. The network has a set of bit forwarding routers (BFRs) that form a BIER domain including at least one ingress BFR (BFIR) and a set of egress BFRs (BFERs). The method improves efficiency of the PMTUD by limiting probe packet traffic. The method includes selecting a BFER from the set of BFERs in the BIER domain to be processed, generating a probe packet to the selected BFER using a current MTU, sending the probe packet to the selected BFER, and updating the current MTU and adding BFERs identified by a response to the probe packet to the set of BFERs in the BIER domain to be processed.