Relaying of multicast transmissions

摘要

A method for multicast transmissions between a source node and a client node includes the source node generating a multicast stream identifier to uniquely identify the multicast stream, and the source node establishing a path between the source node and the client node for a specified the multicast stream, each node in the path using unicast routing tables in order to identify a next node on the path during path establishment, and the source node transmitting messages of the specified multicast stream along the path. Network nodes implement the method.

主权项

1. A network node comprising:
at least one unicast routing table to at least store information about which node may be used as a relay node towards at least one other node in a network; a multicast path generator to receive an establish path request message, originated by a source node, to be created towards a client node, and to select a next node in a multicast path towards said client node by checking said unicast routing tables and to transmit said establish path request message to said next node; and a multicast path updater to update said next node in said multicast path upon an explicit order from said source node and not to update said next node in said multicast path in response to a change in any of said unicast routing tables.