Source and receiver anchoring for efficient multicast traffic distribution

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

• receiving a join request for a first multicast group, wherein the network comprises a plurality of gateway switches that include the given gateway switch;
• selecting, based on a source selection mechanism, a first datacenter from a plurality of datacenters as a source of a first multicast flow of the first multicast group, wherein the selected datacenter is to provide the first multicast flow to a receiver;
• selecting, based on a receiver selection mechanism, a first gateway switch from the plurality of gateway switches in the network as the receiver to receive the first multicast flow;
• and
• sending, to the first gateway switch of the plurality of gateway switches, a control message comprising information indicating the selection of the source of the first multicast flow and the receiver of the first multicast flow, wherein the control message notifies the first gateway switch to request the first multicast flow from the first datacenter.

A computer system, comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• forwarding hardware;
• a gateway logic block to operate the computer system as a given gateway switch of a network, wherein the network includes a plurality of gateway switches;
• a packet processor to receive a join request for a first multicast group, wherein the network comprises a plurality of gateway switches that include the given gateway switch;
• a multicast management logic block to:
• select, based on a source selection mechanism, a first datacenter from a plurality of datacenters as a source of a first multicast flow of the first multicast group, wherein the selected datacenter is to provide the first multicast flow to a receiver;
• and
• select, based on a receiver selection mechanism, a first gateway switch from the plurality of gateway switches in the network as the receiver to receive the first multicast flow;
• and
• send, to the first gateway switch of the plurality of gateway switches, a control message comprising information indicating the selection of the source of the first multicast flow and the receiver of the first multicast flow, wherein the control message notifies the first gateway switch to request the first multicast flow from the first datacenter.