Method for indicating multicast forwarding entry and device

A device for indicating a multicast forwarding entry, the device comprising a processor and a memory having processor-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor cause the device to carry out a method comprising:

• receiving, from a first node, a multicast control message and an access loop identifier associated with a multicast path;
• obtaining, according to a multicast Internet Protocol (IP) address in the multicast control message, a multicast Media Access Control (MAC) address;
• obtaining, according to the access loop identifier associated with the multicast path, an identifier of a first egress port on a second node on the multicast path;
• generating a first forwarding entry comprising:
• the multicast MAC address, and
• the identifier of the first egress port;
• sending the first forwarding entry to the second node, wherein the first forwarding entry is used by the second node to configure, without receiving and parsing a multicast forwarding configuration message from the first node, multicast forwarding of packets including the multicast MAC address;
• obtaining, according to the access loop identifier associated with the multicast path, an identifier of a second egress port, on a third node on the multicast path;
• generating a second forwarding entry comprising:
• the multicast MAC address, and
• the identifier of the second egress port;
• and
• sending the second forwarding entry to the third node, wherein the second forwarding entry is used by the third node to configure, without receiving and parsing a multicast forwarding configuration message from the first node, multicast forwarding of packets including the multicast MAC address.

A communication system, comprising a first node, a second node, a third node, and an access controller,

• wherein the first node is configured to send to the access controller a multicast control message and an access loop identifier associated with a multicast path;
• and
• wherein the access controller is configured to carry out a method comprising:
• receiving the multicast control message and the access loop identifier associated with a multicast path;
• obtaining, according to a multicast Internet Protocol (IP) address in the multicast control message, a multicast Media Access Control (MAC) address;
• obtaining, according to the access loop identifier associated with the multicast path, an identifier of a first egress port on the second node on the multicast path;
• generating a first forwarding entry comprising:
• the multicast MAC address, and
• the identifier of the first egress port;
• sending the first forwarding entry to the second node, wherein the first forwarding entry is used by the second node to configure, without receiving and parsing a multicast forwarding configuration message from the first node, multicast forwarding of packets including the multicast MAC address;
• obtaining, according to the access loop identifier associated with the multicast path, an identifier of a second egress port, on the third node on the multicast path;
• generating a second forwarding entry comprising:
• the multicast MAC address, and
• the identifier of the second egress port;
• and
• sending the second forwarding entry to the third node, wherein the second forwarding entry is used by the third node to configure, without receiving and parsing a multicast forwarding configuration message from the first node, multicast forwarding of packets including the multicast MAC address.