IGMP Packet Identifier for Multicast Processing Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network apparatuses face high packet processing pressure when implementing multicast technologies, particularly with IGMP packets, which hinders efficient statistics collection and transparent channel provision for users and ISPs due to the need for processing all IGMP packets, exceeding the capacity requirements.
Innovation Solution
The method involves identifying whether an IGMP packet is a first join or last leave packet of a multicast group and adding a distinguishing identifier to it, allowing downstream network apparatuses to determine if multicast processing is necessary, thereby reducing unnecessary processing and forwarding only critical packets, thus alleviating packet processing pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all IGMP packets are processed for multicast, then multicast functionality is complete, but packet processing pressure on network apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the critical IGMP packets (first join packet and last leave packet) from the full set of IGMP packets. By identifying and extracting these specific packets using sequence number comparison, the system performs multicast processing only on the extracted subset, thereby reducing overall processing pressure while maintaining complete multicast functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of processing all IGMP packets equally, the patent applies partial action by processing only the necessary portion (first join and last leave packets). This selective processing approach avoids excessive action on redundant packets while ensuring sufficient processing on critical packets to maintain multicast reliability.
2Device complexity
If IGMP packets are terminated by MLD proxy, then packet processing is simplified, but statistics collection and transparent channel provision are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an identifier field as an intermediary mechanism that enables downstream network apparatus to recognize and handle specific IGMP packets without requiring the MLD proxy to terminate them. This intermediary field allows the system to maintain packet flow for statistics collection while still providing simplified processing through selective identification.
3Reliability
If multicast processing is performed on all IGMP packets, then no packets are missed, but processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-identifying and marking the first join packet and last leave packet through sequence number comparison before multicast processing. This preliminary identification allows downstream apparatus to efficiently recognize critical packets without re-processing all packets, thereby maintaining completeness while improving efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method, a device and a system for implementing multicast are disclosed. The method for implementing multicast includes: receiving or generating an internet group management protocol IGMP packet; judging whether the packet is a first join packet or a last leave packet of a multicast group, and adding an identifier indicating whether the IGMP packet is a first join packet or a last leave packet of a multicast group to the IGMP packet, where the identifier is used for a subsequent entity not to perform multicast processing on the IGMP packet when judging that the IGMP packet is not the first join packet or the last leave packet of the multicast group according to the identifier; and forwarding the IGMP packet to the subsequent entity. Therefore, the packet processing pressure on the network apparatus is relieved, and meanwhile, the IGMP packet requirements in the practical network are met.