Multicast implementation in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network

A method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by a link state protocol controlled Ethernet node, a plurality of link state advertisements containing link state information about a configuration of an Ethernet network;
• using the link state advertisements to build a forwarding information base;
• receiving, by the link state protocol controlled Ethernet node, a link state advertisement containing multicast membership information related to a logical multicast;
• mapping, by the link state protocol controlled Ethernet node, the logical multicast to a physical multicast;
• and
• installing forwarding state in the forwarding information base for the physical multicast.

A method of implementing multicast on a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network, the method comprising the steps of:

• converting, by a destination node, logical multicast membership information associated with a first logical multicast into physical multicast membership information, the physical multicast membership information being associated with multiple logical multicasts in addition to the first logical multicast,
• determining by the destination node, whether it has advertised membership in the physical multicast;
• advertising on the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network, by the destination node, membership to the physical multicast if it has not recently advertised membership in the physical multicast;
• and
• not advertising membership to the physical multicast if it has recently advertised membership in the physical multicast.

A link state protocol controlled Ethernet network, comprising:

• a source node;
• a plurality of destination nodes, the destination nodes being configured to transmit link state advertisements containing link state information about connectivity on the network and multicast membership information;
• and
• a plurality of intermediate nodes, each of the intermediate nodes containing a forwarding information base containing shortest path unicast forwarding route information computed using the link state information between the source and the destination nodes, at least some of the plurality of intermediate nodes including in their forwarding information base multicast route forwarding information for at least one physical multicast derived from the multicast membership, the physical multicast subsuming a plurality of logical multicasts.