Programmable multicast routes on a virtual gateway switch

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor of a first switch in a network cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

• receiving traffic associated with a virtual network address allocated to the first switch and a second switch, wherein the first switch operates in conjunction with the second switch to provide high availability to each other in the network, and wherein the second switch is a primary switch associated with the virtual network address;
• and
• in response to receiving, at the first switch, a layer-3 static multicast route indicating a multicast group address of a multicast group:
• storing the static multicast route in a data structure of a control plane of the first switch;
• and
• determining whether a set of conversion conditions is satisfied for the static multicast route at the first switch, wherein the set of conversion conditions corresponds to a respective switch associated with the virtual network address;
• in response to the set of conversion conditions being satisfied for the static multicast route at the first switch:
• generating a set of layer-2 entries for the multicast group based on the static multicast route;
• and
• programming the set of layer-2 entries into forwarding hardware of the first switch;
• and
• in response to determining unavailability associated with the virtual network address:
• programming the static multicast route from the data structure into the forwarding hardware;
• and
• removing the set of layer-2 entries from the forwarding hardware of the first switch.

A computer system, comprising:

• a processor;
• forwarding hardware;
• a communication port to receive traffic associated with a virtual network address allocated to the computer system and a second computer system, wherein the computer system operates in conjunction with the second computer system to provide high availability to each other in a network, and wherein the second computer system is a primary device associated with the virtual network address;
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computer system to:
• in response to receiving a layer-3 static multicast route indicating a multicast group address of a multicast group, store the static multicast route in a data structure of a control plane of the computer system;
• determine whether a set of conversion conditions is satisfied for the static multicast route at the computer system, wherein the set of conversion conditions corresponds to a respective device associated with the virtual network address;
• in response to the set of conversion conditions being satisfied for the static multicast route at the computer system:
• generate a set of layer-2 entries for the multicast group based on the static multicast route;
• and
• program the set of layer-2 entries into the forwarding hardware;
• and
• in response to determining unavailability associated with the virtual network address:
• program, in the forwarding hardware, the static multicast route from the data structure;
• and
• remove the set of layer-2 entries from the forwarding hardware.