System, device, and method for distributing multicast routing information in a protocol independent multicast network
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorsYunzhou Li, Billy C. Ng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, device, and method for distributing multicast routing information in a Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) domain utilizes a PIM router in the PIM domain to collect and distribute multicast routing information. The PIM router collects interdomain multicast routing information from border routers, and distributes the interdomain multicast routing information by periodically sending a bootstrap message containing the interdomain multicast routing information. The PIM router may also send a bootstrap message containing any changed interdomain multicast routing information upon determining that one or more interdomain multicast routes have changed.
Claims22
A method for distributing multicast routing information over a protocol independent multicast domain, the protocol independent multicast domain including a plurality of interconnected protocol independent multicast devices and a plurality of border devices, the method comprising:
- selecting from among the plurality of protocol independent multicasts devices a bootstrap device for the protocol independent multicast domain;
- collecting interdomain multicast routing information from the plurality of border devices by the bootstrap device, said interdomain multicast routing information comprising routing information for routes that span between the protocol independent multicast domain and another protocol independent multicast domain;
- and
- distributing by the bootstrap device the interdomain multicast routing information over the protocol independent multicast domain.
A device for distributing multicast routing information over a protocol independent multicast domain, the protocol independent multicast domain including a plurality of border devices, the device comprising:
- route collection logic operably coupled to collect interdomain multicast routing information from the plurality of border devices, said interdomain multicast routing information comprising routing information for routes that span between the protocol independent multicast domain and another protocol independent multicast domain;
- and
- route distribution logic operably coupled to distribute the interdomain multicast routing information over the protocol independent multicast domain;
- wherein the route distribution logic comprises bootstrap logic operably coupled to send a bootstrap message including bootstrap router information and the interdomain multicast routing information.
A program product comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for distributing multicast routing information over a protocol independent multicast domain, the protocol independent multicast domain including a plurality of interconnected protocol independent multicast devices and a plurality of border devices, the computer program comprising:
- route collection logic programmed to collect interdomain multicast routing information from the plurality of border devices, said interdomain multicast routing information comprising routing information for routes that span between the protocol independent multicast domain and another protocol independent multicast domain;
- and
- route distribution logic programmed to distribute the interdomain multicast routing information over the protocol independent multicast domain;
- wherein the route distribution logic comprises bootstrap logic programmed to send a bootstrap message including bootstrap router information and the interdomain multicast routing information.
A data signal having embodied therein a protocol message for distributing interdomain multicast routing information, the protocol message comprising:
- a protocol message header containing an address of a bootstrap router that generated the protocol message header and indicating that the protocol message includes interdomain multicast routing information;
- and at least one BGMP route block, wherein each MBGP route block comprises the interdomain multicast routing information, said interdomain multicast routing information comprising routing information from routes that span a first protocol independent multicast domain and a second protocol independent multicast domain.
In a communication system having a plurality of interconnected communication devices, a method for distributing multicast routing information, the method comprising:
- maintaining interdomain multicast routing information by a number of border devices, said interdomain multicast routing information comprising routing information for routes that span between the protocol independent multicast domain and another protocol independent multicast domain;
- collecting the interdomain multicast routing information from the number of border devices by a bootstrap device;
- sending the interdomain multicast routing information in a bootstrap message by the bootstrap device to a number of protocol independent multicast devices in the communication network;
- and
- updating, by each protocol independent multicast device that receives the interdomain multicast routing information, a multicast routing information base to include the interdomain multicast routing information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.