Packet forwarding method, first network device, and first device group

A packet forwarding method comprising:

• sending, by a second network device in a device group and to a first network device, a first identifier of the second network device and a device group identifier of the device group, wherein the device group further comprises a third network device;
• and
• sending, by the third network device to the first network device, a second identifier of the third network device and the device group identifier,
• wherein the first identifier, the second identifier, and the device group identifier are configured to trigger the first network device to generate a reverse-path forwarding (RPF) entry based on the first identifier, the second identifier, and the device group identifier, and
• wherein the RPF entry comprises a first sub-entry instructing the first network device to forward a multicast packet sent by the second network device and comprises a second sub-entry instructing the first network device to forward the multicast packet sent by the third network device.

A first network device comprising:

• a non-transitory memory configured to store instructions;
• and
• a processor coupled to the non-transitory memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the first network device to:
• receive, from a multicast source device and forwarded by one network device in a first device group, a multicast packet, wherein the device group comprises a second network device and a third network device;
• determine, according to a reverse-path forwarding (RPF) entry, that the multicast packet is forwarded by the first device group, wherein the RPF entry comprises a first sub-entry instructing the first network device to forward the multicast packet sent by the second network device and a second sub-entry instructing the first network device to forward the multicast packet sent by the third network device;
• and
• send, to a multicast destination device and according to the RPF entry, the multicast packet.

A device group comprising:

• a second network device;
• a third network device;
• and
• a processor coupled to the second network device and the third network device and configured to:
• send, using the second network device and to a first network device, a first identifier of the second network device and a device group identifier of the device group;
• and
• send, using the third network device to the first network device, a second identifier of the third network device and the device group identifier,
• wherein the first identifier, the second identifier, and the device group identifier are configured to trigger the first network device to generate a reverse-path forwarding (RPF) entry based on the first identifier, the second identifier, and the device group identifier, and
• wherein the RPF entry comprises a first sub-entry instructing the first network device to forward a multicast packet sent by the second network device and a second sub-entry instructing the first network device to forward the multicast packet sent by the third network device.