METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING RESILIENCY IN MULTICAST NETWORKS

摘要

Techniques for minimizing packet loss of multicast traffic stream when a failure occurs are described herein. In one embodiment of the invention, a network element separately joins a multicast group through a first and second path respectively. During uninterrupted operation, the network element processes the packets of the multicast traffic stream it receives through the first path and drops the packets of the equivalent multicast traffic stream it receives through the second path. Upon an interruption of the packets of the multicast traffic stream being received through the first path, the network element transitions to processing the packets of the equivalent multicast traffic stream it receives through the second path. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

主权项

1. A computer implemented method of minimizing packet loss of multicast traffic stream when a failure occurs in a network including a multicast edge network element, wherein the multicast edge network element is coupled with a first and second multicast core network element each capable of forwarding packets of an equivalent multicast traffic stream to the multicast edge network element and each is situated between a source of the multicast traffic stream and the multicast edge network element, the method comprising:
separately joining a multicast group of the equivalent multicast traffic stream through a first and a second path between the multicast edge network element and the first and second multicast core network element respectively; processing packets of the equivalent multicast traffic stream received through the first path from the first multicast core network element, and while those packets are received uninterrupted through the first path, discarding packets of the equivalent multicast traffic stream received through the second path from the second multicast core network element; and upon detection of a failure in the first path, transitioning to processing the packets of the equivalent multicast traffic stream subsequently being received through the second path from the second multicast core network element.