Synchronization of multicast information using bicasting
AssigneeBrocade Communications Systems, Inc.
InventorsMehul Dholakia, Wing-Keung Adam Yeung, Ajeer S. Pudiyapura
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Abstract
Techniques that enable a network device such as a router to provide multicast routing services without interruption. Techniques are provided for using bicasting to synchronize multicast information maintained by a first processor and multicast information maintained by a second processor. A multicast protocol related event of packet is sent to both a first processor operating in active mode and a second processor operating in standby mode. Each processor then updates its multicast information based upon the bicasted event or packet.
Claims13
A method comprising:
- selectively bicasting a multicast protocol-related packet, received at a processing component of a network device, to a first processor and a second processor based upon a multicast protocol-related packet type, wherein selectively bicasting comprises:
- upon determining the multicast protocol-related packet to be of a first type,
- sending, from the processing component, a copy of the multicast protocol-related packet to the first processor operating in active mode, the first processor performing a set of multicast routing-related functions in the active mode, and
- sending, from the processing component, a copy of the multicast protocol-related packet to the second processor operating in standby mode, the second processor not performing the set of multicast routing-related functions in the standby mode;
- updating, by the first processor, first multicast information maintained by the first processor based upon the copy of the multicast protocol-related packet received by the first processor;
- and
- updating, by the second processor, second multicast information maintained by the second processor based upon the copy of the multicast protocol-related packet received by the second processor.
A network device comprising:
- a processing component;
- a first processor and a second processor;
- wherein the processing component is operable to determine whether a multicast protocol-related packet is of a first type, and upon determining that the multicast-protocol related packet is of the first type, to send a copy of the multicast protocol-related packet to the first processor, and a copy of the multicast protocol-related packet to the second processor;
- the first processor configurable to operate in an active mode, wherein the first processor is configurable to perform a set of multicast routing-related functions in the active mode;
- and
- the second processor configurable to operate in a standby mode when the first processor is operating in the active mode, wherein the second processor is configurable to not perform the set of multicast routing-related functions in the standby mode;
- wherein the first processor is further configurable to:
- receive, from the processing component, a copy of the multicast protocol-related packet;
- and
- update first multicast information maintained by the first processor based upon the copy of the multicast protocol-related packet received by the first processor, the first multicast information used by the first processor for performing the set of multicast routing-related functions;
- wherein the second processor is further configurable to:
- receive, from the processing component, a copy of the multicast protocol-related packet;
- and
- update second multicast information maintained by the second processor based upon the copy of the multicast protocol-related packet received by the second processor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.