Methods and Apparatuses for Non-Blocking IP Multicast Delivery of Media Data in a Multi-Spine Network

A method comprising:

• selecting a first spine node of multiple spine nodes using a deterministic hash function, wherein selecting the first spine node comprises determining, by a last hop router, a first spine node index using the deterministic hash function based on a source address, a group address associated with a multicast, and a number of multiple spine nodes in a spine and leaf architecture, wherein the first spine node index is associated with the first spine node, and wherein a first hop router associated with a receiver uses a same deterministic hash function used for selecting the first spine node to select another spine node for sending a multicast request;
• sending a first multicast join request to the first spine node in accordance with a first determination that the last hop router has available resource to the first spine node in order to service the multicast;
• and
• receiving traffic associated with the multicast via the first spine node in accordance with a second determination that the first spine node has available resource servicing the multicast.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of spine switches;
• a plurality of leaf switches;
• a plurality of data links between each of the plurality of leaf switch and each of the plurality of spine switches switch;
• and
• wherein a first leaf switch of the plurality of leaf switches is operative to:
• receive a multicast request from a source to a group, wherein the source is associated with a source address and the group is associated with a group address;
• select a first spine switch of the plurality of spine switches using a deterministic hash function, wherein the first leaf switch being operative to select the first spine switch comprises the first leaf switch being operative to determine a first spine node index using the deterministic hash function based on the source address the group address and a number of spine switches in the plurality of spine switches, the first spine node index corresponding to the first spine switch, and wherein a second leaf switch associated with a receiver uses a same deterministic hash function used for selecting the first spine switch to select a last spine node for receiving traffic associated with the multicast request,
• determine that the first spine switch has available resource to service the multicast request, and
• route the traffic associated with the multicast request to the first spine switch in response to determining that the first spine switch has the available resource.