Dynamic optimization of a multicast tree hierarchy for a distributed switch

摘要

A distributed switch may include a hierarchy with one or more levels of surrogate sub-switches (and surrogate bridge elements) that enable the distributed switch to scale bandwidth based on the size of the membership of a multicast group. Moreover, each surrogate may optimize the hierarchy according to one or more optimization criteria. For example, each surrogate in the hierarchy may have the necessary information to ensure that if the next surrogate in the hierarchy is unavailable, the data may be routed to a backup surrogate. The selected hierarchy may be further optimized by skipping surrogates (or a surrogate level) such that the data intended for a skipped surrogate is sent to a surrogate in a lower-level of the hierarchy. This may better utilize the connection interfaces in the transmitting sub-switches and eliminate any unnecessary surrogate-to-surrogate transfers.

主权项

1. A computer program product for forwarding a multicast data frame in a distributed switch, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code configured to:
receive a multicast data frame on a receiving port of an ingress switch in the distributed switch;determine a first surrogate switch in a first level of a hierarchy, wherein the first surrogate switch is assigned in the hierarchy to forward at least a portion of the multicast data frame received from the ingress switch directly to a second surrogate switch in a second level of the hierarchy,wherein the ingress switch has a direct physical connection to both the first surrogate switch and the second surrogate switch; andupon determining that the first surrogate switch is unavailable because of an operational outage, ignore a part of the assigned hierarchy by forwarding the portion in the distributed switch from the ingress switch such that the portion is received by the second surrogate switch without the portion being forwarded to any surrogate switch in the first level of the hierarchy.