Multicast LSP Establishment via Multicast Source Agent
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MPLS multicast solutions require static mapping relationships between multicast sources and groups, leading to high maintenance costs and inability to support dynamic service development and access control, as they necessitate knowing the ingress node location for establishing a multicast LSP.
Innovation Solution
A Multicast Source Agent (MSA) node is introduced to learn and store multicast stream information, allowing dynamic mapping and enabling egress nodes to query and establish LSPs between ingress and egress nodes, with integrated application control policies for access management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If static mapping relationships are configured between multicast sources and groups, then LSP establishment is possible, but network topology maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Multicast Source Agent (MSA) as an intermediary component that maintains the mapping relationships between multicast sources and groups. Instead of requiring every network device to maintain static mapping tables, the MSA centralizes this function and provides mapping information on-demand to egress nodes through query-response mechanisms. This resolves the contradiction by enabling LSP establishment (through the MSA's mapping services) while reducing overall network topology maintenance complexity (by centralizing rather than distributing the maintenance burden).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables egress nodes to dynamically query the MSA for mapping relationships when needed, rather than relying on pre-configured static mappings. The egress nodes perform self-service by initiating queries to obtain current mapping information, which reduces the need for continuous network-wide topology maintenance and updates. This on-demand approach maintains LSP establishment capability while reducing the maintenance overhead.
2Ease of operation
If egress nodes know ingress node locations in advance, then multicast LSP can be established, but adaptability to dynamic services decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static mapping relationship model into a dynamic one. Instead of egress nodes needing to know ingress node locations in advance through static configuration, the system dynamically resolves mappings on-demand through queries to the MSA. This allows the network to adapt to changing service requirements, new multicast groups, and dynamic ingress/egress node assignments while maintaining ease of operation through automated query-response processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The MSA pre-maintains the mapping relationships between multicast sources and groups, so when egress nodes need to establish LSPs, they can quickly query for current mappings without performing complex topology analysis. This preliminary preparation of mapping information by the MSA enables rapid LSP establishment while maintaining adaptability to dynamic services, as the MSA can update its mappings in response to service changes.
3Ease of manufacture
If static mapping relationships are used, then configuration is simple, but access control capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The MSA serves multiple functions: it maintains mapping relationships (providing the configuration simplicity of static mappings) and simultaneously enables access control by evaluating egress nodes against stored policies before providing mapping information. This multi-functional approach resolves the contradiction by combining the ease of configuration with the capability for sophisticated access control, as the MSA centralizes both functions in a single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The MSA acts as an intermediary that sits between the mapping information and egress nodes, allowing access control policies to be applied without complicating the overall configuration. The MSA maintains simple mapping relationships while adding the access control layer through its query evaluation logic. This resolves the contradiction by separating the configuration simplicity (maintained by the MSA's mapping tables) from the access control capability (added by the MSA's policy evaluation).
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for establishing a multicast LSP and a system for transmitting multicast data. The method includes: a MSA node learns and stores multicast stream information; the egress edge node in the MPLS domain obtains the multicast stream information sent by the MSA node by sending a query request message to the MSA node; the egress edge node joins the multicast group, according to the obtained multicast stream information, and establishes a multicast LSP between the ingress edge node and the egress edge node. The technical solution of the present invention supports dynamic implementation of multicast services, and reduces the cost of maintaining a network topology.