Transmission of layer two (L2) multicast traffic over multi-protocol label switching networks

摘要

Principles of the invention relate to techniques for transmission of Layer 2 (L2) traffic over a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) within a multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network. A source or ingress network device may implement the techniques to connect multiple L2 interfaces to a P2MP LSP within an MPLS network via a P2MP Pseudo-Wire (PW) mechanism that emulates delivery of L2 data units over a packet switched network, such as the MPLS network. The ingress network device first establishes the P2MP LSP and then connects two or more L2 interfaces to the P2MP LSP via the P2MP PW mechanism. Egress network devices may also implement the techniques to terminate the P2MP LSP and de-multiplex traffic arriving via multiple P2MP PWs carried over the same P2MP LSP.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
establishing, with a source device of a computer network, a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) that connects the source device to multiple receiver devices included within the computer network, where the source device is configured to operate as an ingress to the P2MP LSP and the multiple receiver devices are configured to operate as egresses for the P2MP; connecting, with the source device, two or more ingress layer two (L2) interfaces of the source device to the P2MP LSP; and forwarding, with the source device, L2 data units from the two or more ingress L2 interfaces to the multiple receiver devices via the P2MP LSP.