Multicast traffic control protocol pruning in a layer 2 switch

An article of manufacture comprising a machine accessible medium providing a plurality of machine readable instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

• controlling multicast traffic in a layer 2 network, the layer 2 network including a plurality of devices associated with the network, the plurality of devices including a transmitter, a receiver, and a layer 2 device, the transmitter and the receiver coupled to the layer 2 device, wherein controlling the multicast traffic includes
• sending a multicast traffic control protocol query from the layer 2 device to the receiver on the layer 2 network;
• receiving a multicast traffic control protocol report in response to the multicast traffic control protocol query;
• and
• determining whether to perform multicast traffic control protocol pruning on the layer 2 network from the layer 2 device based on the report received.

A method comprising:

• controlling multicast traffic in a layer 2 network, the layer 2 network including a plurality of devices associated with the network, the plurality of devices including a transmitter, a receiver, and a layer 2 device, the transmitter and the receiver coupled to one or more of the ports, wherein controlling the multicast traffic includes
• sending an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) query from the layer 2 device to the receiver on the layer 2 network;
• receiving an IGMP report in response to the IGMP query;
• and
• determining whether to perform IGMP pruning on the layer 2 network from the layer 2 device based on the report received.

An apparatus comprising:

• a layer 2 device;
• a multicast traffic control protocol querier algorithm executable from the layer 2 device to send multicast traffic control protocol queries to a layer 2 network which includes the layer 2 device;
• and
• a multicast traffic control protocol pruning algorithm executable from the layer 2 device to control multicast traffic in the layer 2 network.

An apparatus comprising:

• a layer 2 device;
• means for sending multicast traffic control protocol queries to a layer 2 network which includes the layer 2 device, the means for sending multicast traffic control protocol queries being executable from the layer 2 device;
• and
• means for controlling multicast traffic in the layer 2 network, the means for controlling multicast traffic being executable from the layer 2 device.