Migration support for bit indexed explicit replication

摘要

A method and network device are disclosed for multicast forwarding. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving at a node configured to use a bit-indexed forwarding table a multicast message comprising an incoming message bit array. The method further includes comparing the incoming message bit array to a first neighbor bit array within a first forwarding table entry, and determining that for at least one relative bit position in the bit arrays a corresponding destination node is both a destination for the message and a reachable destination from a first neighboring node. The method further includes forwarding toward the first neighboring node a copy of the message, where a first node on the path of the forwarded message is not configured to use a respective bit-indexed forwarding table. An embodiment of the device includes a network interface, a memory and a processor configured to perform steps of the method.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving at a node in a network a multicast message comprising an incoming message bit array, wherein
the node is configured to store and use a bit-indexed forwarding table comprising multiple forwarding table entries,each of the multiple forwarding table entries comprises a respective neighbor bit array and is associated with a respective neighboring node, anda set of multiple possible destination nodes for the message corresponds to the same set of respective relative bit positions in the incoming message bit array and each of the neighbor bit arrays; comparing the incoming message bit array to a first neighbor bit array associated with a first forwarding table entry of the multiple forwarding table entries; determining that for at least one relative bit position the corresponding destination node is both an intended destination for the message and a reachable destination from a first neighboring node associated with the first forwarding table entry; and in response to a determination that an intended destination for the message is a reachable destination from the first neighboring node, forwarding toward the first neighboring node a copy of the message comprising a forwarded message bit array, wherein a first node along the path of the forwarded message is not configured to use a respective bit-indexed forwarding table.