Apparatus and method for efficiently multicasting data to a plurality of destination devices

A setting device included in a multicast system being configured to multicast data from a transmission source device to a plurality of transmission destination devices via one or more transfer devices, the setting device comprising:

• a memory configured to store network topology information that stores a unicast address used when data is unicast to each of the plurality of transmission destination devices, and port-identification information identifying a port of a transfer device via which the transfer device is directly connected to another device;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being configured to:
• notify, upon receiving a notice indicating that there exists the plurality of transmission destination devices from the transmission source device serving as a transmission source of first data, the transmission source device of a multicast address used for multicasting the first data to the plurality of transmission destination devices,
• specify, coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being, a first transfer device directly connected to at least one of the plurality of transmission destination devices, from among the one or more transfer devices that transfer the first data from the transmission source device to the plurality of transmission destination devices,
• generate, based on the network topology information, changing information that stores the multicast address, the port-identification information identifying a port to which a transmission destination device is directly connected, and the unicast address of the transmission destination device, in association with each other, and
• set the first transfer device, by transmitting the generated changing information to the first transfer device, so that the first transfer device generates second data by changing, based on the changing information, the multicast address assigned to the first data into the unicast address of the transmission destination device associated with the first transfer device, and the first transfer device transfers the second data to the transmission destination device directly connected to the first transfer device via a port identified by the port-identification information associated with the transmission device.

A setting method for performing a setting of a transfer device included in a multicast system being configured to multicast data from a transmission source device to a plurality of transmission destination devices via one or more transfer devices, the setting method comprising:

• providing the computer with network topology information that stores a unicast address used when data is unicast to each of the plurality of transmission destination devices, and port-identification information identifying a port of a transfer device via which the transfer device is directly connected to another device;
• upon receiving a notice indicating that there exists the plurality of transmission destination devices from the transmission source device serving as a transmission source of first data, notifying the transmission source device of a multicast address used for multicasting the first data to the plurality of transmission destination devices;
• based on the network topology information, specifying a first transfer device directly connected to at least one of the plurality of transmission destination devices, from among the one or more transfer devices that transfer the first data from the transmission source device to the plurality of transmission destination devices;
• generating, based on the network topology information, changing information that stores the multicast address, the port-identification information identifying a port to which a transmission destination device is directly connected, and the unicast address of the transmission destination device, in association with each other;
• and
• setting the first transfer device, by transmitting the generated changing information to the first transfer device, so that the first transfer device generates second data by changing, based on the changing information, the multicast address assigned to the first data into the unicast address of the transmission destination device associated with the first transfer device, and the first transfer device transfers the second data to the transmission destination device directly connected to the first transfer device via a port identified by the port-identification information associated with the transmission destination device.