System and method for multicast transmission

A system for multicast transmission of data over a network, the system comprising:

• a virtual exchange network embedded within the network, the virtual exchange network including a plurality of interconnected nodes;
• a set of the plurality of interconnected nodes configured for multipoint-to-multipoint transmissions therebetween;
• a plurality of optimum virtual exchange network connections, included in a global multicast routing map generated by a topology server subsystem, each of the plurality of optimum virtual exchange network connections being defined by a pair of endpoints of a multipoint-to-multipoint transmission;
• a plurality of local multicast routing topology maps generated by the topology service subsystem and disposed along the plurality of optimum virtual exchange network connections, each of the plurality of local multicast routing topology maps being a subset of the global multicast routing topology map to provide routing information for a defined area of the virtual exchange network;
• and
• a plurality of subscription signals respectively operably originating from the set, each of the plurality of subscription signals successively regressively traversing the optimum virtual exchange network connection of the respective set in the form of a derivative subscription signal until the connection defined by the pair of endpoints is realized,
• wherein the packetized data stream is propagated by implicit signaling through the plurality of optimum virtual exchange network connections according to the plurality of local multicast routing topology maps.

A method for multicast transmission of data over a network, the method comprising:

• establishing a virtual exchange network of interconnected nodes and network elements within the network;
• determining the path cost between pairs of the interconnected nodes at a topology server subsystem in communication with the virtual exchange network;
• generating, based on the path costs between pairs of the interconnected nodes, at the topology server subsystem a global multicast routing topology map that includes a plurality of optimum virtual exchange network connections, each of the plurality of optimum virtual exchange network connections being defined by a pair of endpoints;
• generating, based on the global multicast routing topology map, at the topology server subsystem a plurality of local multicast routing topology maps, each of the plurality of local multicast routing topology maps being a subset of the global multicast routing topology map to provide routing information for a defined area of the virtual exchange network;
• circulating the plurality of local multicast routing topology maps to the interconnected nodes and network elements;
• in response to a published packetized data stream and corresponding subscription signals, successively regressively propagating a plurality of derivative subscription signals through the optimum virtual exchange network connections until the connection defined by the pair of endpoints is realized;
• and
• transmitting the packetized data stream by implicit signaling through the plurality of optimum virtual exchange network connections.