Method and apparatus for diagnosing faults in a hybrid internet protocol network

First and second portions of a computer-readable storage medium each having computer instructions for operating an Ethernet switch and an Internet Protocol (IP) router, respectively, for conducting diagnostics in a multicast network having network elements comprising one or more IP (Internet Protocol) routers and Ethernet switches,

• the first portion of the storage medium operating in the Ethernet switch, comprising computer instructions for:
• receiving an IP query packet generated by a receiver for collecting telemetry data between a source and the receiver;
• translating the IP query packet to an Ethernet query packet;
• collecting in the Ethernet query packet telemetry data from the Ethernet switch, wherein at least one telemetry field of the Ethernet switch includes an arrival time of the Ethernet query packet at the Ethernet Switch;
• and
• submitting the Ethernet query packet to the next network element of the multicast network;
• the second portion of the storage medium operating in the IP router, comprising computer instructions for:
• receiving the Ethernet query packet;
• translating the Ethernet query packet to the IP query packet;
• and
• submitting the IP query packet to the next network element of the multicast network.

In an IP router and an Ethernet switch, respectively, a method for conducting diagnostics in a multicast network having network elements comprising one or more IP (Internet Protocol) routers and Ethernet switches,

• a method in an Ethernet switch, comprising the steps of:
• receiving an IP query packet generated by a receiver for collecting telemetry data between a source and the receiver;
• translating the IP query packet to an Ethernet query packet;
• collecting in the Ethernet query packet telemetry data from the Ethernet switch, wherein at least one telemetry field of the Ethernet Switch includes an arrival time of the Ethernet query packet at the Ethernet Switch;
• and
• submitting the Ethernet query packet to the next network element of the multicast network;
• a method in an IP router, comprising the steps of:
• receiving the Ethernet query packet;
• translating the Ethernet query packet to the IP query packet;
• and
• submitting the IP query packet to the next network element of the multicast network.

An Ethernet switch, comprising:

• a communications interface;
• and
• a controller programmed to:
• receive an IP query packet generated by a receiver for collecting telemetry data between a source and the receiver in a multicast network;
• translate the IP query packet to an Ethernet query packet;
• collect in the Ethernet query packet telemetry data from the Ethernet switch, wherein at least one telemetry field of the Ethernet Switch includes an arrival time of the Ethernet query packet at the Ethernet switch;
• and
• submit the Ethernet query packet to the next network element of the multicast network.

An IP router, comprising:

• a communications interface;
• and
• a controller programmed to:
• receive an Ethernet query packet generated by an Ethernet switch having at least one field for telemetry for collecting telemetry data between a source and a receiver in a multicast network, wherein at least one of the telemetry fields includes an arrival time of the Ethernet query packet at the Ethernet switch;
• translate the Ethernet query packet to an IP query packet;
• and
• submit the IP query packet to the next network element of the multicast network.