Data forwarding method and apparatus

A computer-implemented method for forwarding data on a computer network, comprising:

• determining whether interfaces on a data forwarder represent member interfaces that are part of a first multicast group;
• identifying one or more uplink interfaces on the data forwarder, in which the one or more uplink interfaces are not member interfaces;
• storing a forwarding table having plural forwarding entries for corresponding plural multicast groups, a particular one of the forwarding entries maps the first multicast group to identifiers of the member interfaces, and the table does not map the first multicast group to the one or more uplink interfaces;
• receiving multicast information content on a first interface on the data forwarder, in which the first interface is one of the member interfaces;
• and
• forwarding the multicast information content to the one or more uplink interfaces, and forwarding, based on the particular forwarding entry, the multicast information content to one or more interfaces of the first multicast group other than the first interface.

A data forwarder for forwarding information on a computer network, comprising:

• means for determining whether interfaces on the data forwarder represent member interfaces that are part of a first multicast group;
• means for identifying one or more uplink interfaces on the data forwarder, in which the one or more uplink interfaces are not member interfaces, and wherein the one or more uplink interfaces are for connection with one or more corresponding routers;
• means for storing a forwarding table having plural forwarding entries for corresponding plural multicast groups, wherein a particular one of the forwarding entries maps the first multicast group to identifiers of the member interfaces, and the table does not map the first multicast group to the one or more uplink interfaces;
• means for receiving information content on a first interface on the data forwarder, in which the first interface is one of the member interfaces;
• means for forwarding the information content to the one or more uplink interfaces, and forwarding, based on the particular forwarding entry, the information content to one or more interfaces of the first multicast group other than the first interface.