Multicast error detection and recovery

An apparatus comprising:

• a memory storage;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:
• receive a join request for a multicast stream from a first network node;
• determine a next hop for the join request, the next hop comprising a second network node;
• send the join request to the second network node, the join request being sent over a first link of a plurality of links connecting the second network node;
• receive, from the second network node, a redirect message indicating that the second network node cannot accommodate the join request;
• in response to receiving the redirect message and in response to sending only one join request for the multicast stream to the second network node, determine an alternate upstream network node to send the join request for the multicast stream to;
• receive a list of active join requests from the second network node;
• compare a number of active join request on the list with a number of join requests sent to the second network node;
• and
• determine an error when the number of active join request on the list is different than the number of join requests sent.

A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a set of instructions which when executed perform a method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

• receiving a join request for a multicast stream from a first network node;
• determining a next hop for the join request, the next hop comprising a second network node;
• sending the join request to the second network node, the join request being sent over a first link of a plurality of links connecting the second network node;
• receiving, from the second network node, a redirect message indicating that the second network node cannot accommodate the join request;
• in response to receiving the redirect message and in response to sending only one join request for the multicast stream to the second network node, determining an alternate upstream network node to send the join request for the multicast stream to;
• receiving a list of active join requests from the second network node;
• comparing a number of active join request on the list with a number of join requests sent to the second network node;
• and
• determining an error when the number of active join request on the list is different than the number of join requests sent.