Method for Sending Multicast Packet and Switch

A method for sending a multicast packet, comprising:

• receiving, by a first switch, a first multicast packet from a network side;
• decapsulating, by the first switch, the first multicast packet to obtain a destination switch unique identification address of the first multicast packet from a header of the first multicast packet;
• determining whether the destination switch unique identification address of the first multicast packet is a unique identification address of a root of a specified multicast tree of the first switch;
• and
• sending, by the first switch, the decapsulated first multicast packet to only a single-homed port of all user-side ports of a multicast group in a multicast manner when the destination switch unique identification address of the first multicast packet is not the unique identification address of the root of the specified multicast tree of the first switch,
• wherein all the user-side ports comprise at least one single-homed port and at least one multi-homed port,
• wherein a customer edge that is connected to the at least one multi-homed port is connected, in an all-active manner, to N switches,
• wherein the N switches comprise the first switch,
• wherein the specified multicast tree of the first switch is specified in advance from N generated multicast trees in a network,
• wherein the N switches respectively belong to the N different specified multicast trees, and
• wherein N is greater than or equal to 2.

A switch, wherein the switch comprises:

• a receiver;
• a processor;
• and
• a transmitter,
• wherein the switch is a first switch,
• wherein the receiver is configured to receive a multicast packet from a first customer edge or a second customer edge,
• wherein the first customer edge is connected to the first switch in a single-homed manner,
• wherein the second customer edge is connected to N switches in an all-active manner,
• wherein the N switches comprise the first switch,
• wherein N is greater than or equal to 2,
• wherein the processor is configured to determine a specified multicast tree of the first switch,
• wherein the specified multicast tree is specified in advance from N generated multicast trees in a network,
• wherein the N switches respectively belong to the N different specified multicast trees,
• wherein the N switches encapsulate the multicast packet to obtain an encapsulated multicast packet,
• wherein a destination switch unique identification address in a header of the encapsulated multicast packet is a unique identification address of a root of the specified multicast tree, determined by the processor, of the first switch, and
• wherein the transmitter is configured to forward the encapsulated multicast packet to a network side using the specified multicast tree of the first switch.

A switch, wherein the switch comprises:

• a receiver;
• a processor;
• and
• a transmitter,
• wherein the switch is a first switch,
• wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first multicast packet from a network side,
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• decapsulate the first multicast packet to obtain a destination switch unique identification address of the first multicast packet from a header of the first multicast packet after the receiver receives the first multicast packet from the network side;
• and
• determine whether the destination switch unique identification address of the first multicast packet decapsulated by the processor is a unique identification address of a root of a specified multicast tree of the first switch,
• wherein the transmitter is configured to send the decapsulated first multicast packet to only a single-homed port of all user-side ports of the multicast group in a multicast manner when the destination switch unique identification address of the first multicast packet is not the unique identification address of the root of the specified multicast tree of the first switch,
• wherein all the user-side ports comprise at least one single-homed port and at least one multi-homed port,
• wherein a customer edge that is connected to the at least one multi-homed port is connected to N switches in an all-active manner,
• wherein the N switches comprise the first switch,
• wherein the specified multicast tree of the first switch is specified in advance from N generated multicast trees in a network,
• wherein the N switches respectively belong to the N different specified multicast trees, and
• wherein N is greater than or equal to 2.