Multicast VLAN Switching via IGMP Proxy and Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current VLAN switching technologies, such as V-Switch and MVR, limit multicast stream transmission to within one VLAN, leading to bandwidth and safety issues due to the inability to switch multicast streams across multiple user VLANs, and often forward unwanted or unsafe multicast streams.
Innovation Solution
A multicast-supported virtual local area network switching system that uses a switching engine, CPU unit, mapping storage unit, and switching table storage unit to manage IGMP messages and implement IGMP Snooping and Proxy schemes, allowing for the forwarding of multicast streams across multiple VLANs while preventing the reception of unwanted streams by users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If V-Switch technology is used for VLAN switching, then scalability is improved through VLAN tag-based switching, but multicast stream transmission is limited to within one VLAN, preventing bandwidth and safety isolation across multiple user VLANs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a multicast controller as an intermediary component that manages multicast stream distribution across multiple VLANs. This controller receives multicast streams from a source VLAN, processes them according to user subscriptions, and forwards them to appropriate destination VLANs, thereby enabling cross-VLAN multicast transmission while maintaining system manageability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the multicast switching function by introducing separate multicast VLANs (MVLANs) distinct from regular user VLANs. This segmentation allows multicast streams to be isolated and managed independently, enabling efficient distribution to multiple user VLANs without compromising the simplicity of individual VLAN operations
2Adaptability or versatility
If MVR technology is used to realize Layer 2 multicast spanning VLANs, then multicast transmission is enabled across VLANs, but unwanted or unsafe multicast streams are forwarded to user VLANs due to MAC address mapping conflicts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating dedicated multicast VLANs with specific quality characteristics - these MVLANs are configured to carry only authorized multicast streams and are isolated from regular user VLANs. This ensures that users receive only the intended multicast content, preventing unwanted or unsafe streams from being forwarded while maintaining the enhanced forwarding capability
Solution Approach 2:
The multicast controller serves as a mediator between multicast stream sources and user VLANs, filtering and selecting only authorized streams based on user subscriptions. This intermediary function prevents MAC address mapping conflicts from causing unwanted streams to reach users, thereby improving reliability while maintaining cross-VLAN multicast capability
3Reliability
If users are isolated by VLAN for bandwidth and safety reasons, then network security is improved, but multicast data streams cannot be switched to multi-user VLANs, limiting application flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into regular user VLANs for isolation and dedicated multicast VLANs for stream distribution. This segmentation allows users to remain isolated in their respective VLANs for security and bandwidth management, while multicast streams are separately managed in MVLANs and can be flexibly distributed to multiple user VLANs based on user subscriptions
Solution Approach 2:
The multicast controller acts as an intermediary that respects VLAN isolation boundaries while enabling controlled multicast distribution. It receives streams from source VLANs, processes subscription information, and forwards streams to appropriate destination VLANs, thereby maintaining security isolation while providing flexible multicast application support
Data Source
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AI summary
A multicast-supported virtual local area network switching system and a method thereof comprise a switching engine (10), a CPU unit (20), further comprising a mapping storage unit (30) for storing the mapping relationship of the virtual local area network and the multicast stream pushed to the switching system by it, and a switching table storage unit (40) for storing the corresponding relation between ingress virtual local area network and egress virtual local area network; the switching engine (10) receives the internet group management protocol message from the user virtual local area network and transmits the message to the CPU unit (20) for processing, if it is Internet group management protocol join/leave message, the CPU unit (20) looks up the mapping storage unit (30) and forwards it in the looked-up multicast virtual local area network; the switching engine (10) receives the Internet group management protocol messages or multicast data frames from the multicast virtual local area network and forwards them in the looked-up user virtual local area network by looking up the switching table storage unit (40).