Multicast Tree Architecture for Network Node Bandwidth Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network nodes waste bandwidth and processing resources when replicating multicast traffic, leading to congestion and reduced throughput due to the generation of excess copies not destined for intended recipients.
Innovation Solution
A method and network node architecture that utilize multicast trees and sub-trees to efficiently distribute and process multicast traffic, identifying flows to send traffic only to intended recipients, thereby controlling bandwidth and processing usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network nodes replicate multicast traffic to transmit copies to authorized host devices, then the multicast traffic can be delivered to intended recipients, but network nodes waste bandwidth resources and processing capacity by generating excess copies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multicast replication process by dividing network nodes into different roles (source nodes, intermediate nodes, leaf nodes) and organizing them into multicast trees. This segmentation allows traffic to be replicated only where necessary in the distribution hierarchy, preventing unnecessary copying at intermediate nodes and reducing overall bandwidth waste while ensuring reliable delivery to authorized recipients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing multicast distribution trees and maintaining membership information before traffic arrives. Network nodes proactively build and update the multicast topology structure in advance, so when multicast traffic needs to be delivered, the replication paths are already determined and optimized, preventing excessive copying and reducing processing capacity waste.
2Productivity
If network nodes generate copies of multicast traffic, then traffic can be distributed to multiple host devices, but network nodes become congested and throughput is reduced due to wasted resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to multicast distribution by organizing nodes into tree structures with multiple levels (source, intermediate, leaf nodes). This dimensional organization allows traffic to flow efficiently through defined paths, distributing the replication workload across the hierarchy rather than creating congestion at individual nodes, thereby maintaining high throughput while enabling multi-device distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses intermediate nodes as mediators in the multicast distribution tree. These intermediate nodes act as controlled replication points that receive traffic from source nodes and selectively forward copies to leaf nodes based on authorized membership. This intermediary structure prevents direct many-to-many connections that would cause congestion, instead creating managed replication paths that maintain network throughput.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving multicast traffic intended for host devices; identifying a flow associated with the multicast traffic; retrieving information associated with a group of multicast trees, where the group of multicast trees includes information associated with a group of I/O units, associated with a network node; identifying a particular tree that corresponds to the identified flow, where the particular tree includes information associated with a set of I/O units; and transferring the multicast traffic to an I/O unit, of the set of I/O units, based on the identification of the particular tree, where the transferring enables the I/O unit to send a copy of the multicast traffic to other I/O units of the set of I/O units, and the set of I/O units to process the multicast traffic in a manner that utilizes bandwidth or processing resources in a controlled manner and to send a copy of the multicast traffic to each of the host devices.