Multicast Network Device Tracking Receivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MVPN arrangements are inefficient and wasteful as they send multicast traffic to all provider edge elements on an inclusive route, even if some have not joined the multicast, leading to unnecessary resource usage and tracking difficulties.
Innovation Solution
Implementing explicit multicast receiver tracking and switching between inclusive and selective tunnels based on receiver status, using separate routes and tunnel attributes to identify and manage multicast receivers efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an inclusive route is used to allow multicast receivers to receive traffic, then multicast traffic can be delivered to all potential receivers, but network resources are wasted and receiver tracking becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having receiver PE elements send join messages back to the sender PE element when they want to receive multicast traffic. This feedback mechanism allows the sender to track which receivers actually want the traffic, enabling it to stop sending to inactive receivers and thus eliminate network resource waste while maintaining delivery to active receivers
2Productivity
If an inclusive route is used to allow multicast receivers to receive traffic, then multicast traffic can be delivered to all potential receivers, but receiver tracking becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback mechanism through join messages provides explicit information from receivers to the sender, making receiver tracking straightforward. The sender can maintain an accurate list of active receivers by processing these join messages, eliminating the difficulty of tracking receivers in an inclusive route environment
3Adaptability or versatility
If multicast traffic is sent to all provider edge elements on an inclusive route, then all potential receivers can receive traffic, but unnecessary resource usage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
By using feedback through join messages, the system adapts the multicast traffic flow to match actual receiver demand. The sender PE element receives feedback about which receivers are active and adjusts its transmission accordingly, sending traffic only to those who have expressed interest, thus eliminating unnecessary resource usage while preserving universal reception capability for those who need it
Data Source
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AI summary
A first network device adapted for communication with one or more other network devices is configured to originate a first route identifying a tunnel for carrying traffic for a multicast, to originate a second route specifying a leaf information requirement for the multicast but not identifying a tunnel for carrying traffic for the multicast, and to track a plurality of receivers of the multicast based at least in part on leaf information received from the multicast receivers responsive to the specified leaf information requirement of the second route. The first route may comprise an inclusive route having a tunnel attribute that identifies an inclusive tunnel for the multicast and the second route may comprise a selective route having a tunnel attribute configured to indicate that it carries no tunnel information. Multicast traffic can be switched between an inclusive tunnel and a selective tunnel responsive to the multicast receiver tracking.