PIM Snooping for SPBM Multicast Traffic Pruning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) networks inefficiently manage bandwidth by flooding IP Multicast data traffic to all access points without pruning, leading to unnecessary bandwidth usage in both the core and access interfaces.

Innovation Solution

Implementing PIM snooping by monitoring PIM control protocol messages to build and maintain multicast trees within the SPB network, allowing for the pruning of multicast traffic based on join and prune messages, thereby optimizing bandwidth usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the SPB network floods IP Multicast data traffic to all access points, then all PIM routers can receive the traffic, but bandwidth is wasted on interfaces where no active receivers exist

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeliverability of multicast trafficVSAvoidbandwidth usage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The SPB network performs preliminary actions by flooding PIM control traffic and establishing multicast distribution trees before actual data transmission. This allows the network to pre-configure efficient traffic paths based on receiver interest, so that when multicast data arrives, it is already routed optimally rather than requiring flooding to all access points

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms through PIM join and prune messages that inform the SPB network about receiver interest. The network uses this feedback to dynamically build and modify multicast distribution trees, ensuring traffic is forwarded only to access points with active receivers, thereby eliminating bandwidth waste while maintaining reliable delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If the SPB network does not prune multicast traffic, then traffic delivery is simple, but bandwidth is inefficiently used in the core and access interfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of traffic forwardingVSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The SPB network introduces an intermediary layer of PIM snooping functionality that monitors PIM control messages and automatically builds multicast distribution trees. This intermediary mechanism translates simple flooding operations into intelligent, pruned traffic forwarding without requiring complex manual configuration, thus maintaining ease of operation while dramatically improving bandwidth efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by enabling the SPB network to automatically snoop on PIM control traffic, extract join and prune information, and dynamically construct optimized multicast distribution trees without external intervention. This self-organizing behavior allows the network to efficiently prune traffic paths while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9755845B2Protocol independent multicast (PIM) snooping for a shortest path bridging multicast (SPBM) network

Publication Date: 2017.09.05 EXTREME NETWORKS INC

AI summary

A method and apparatus for providing Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM) snooping for a Shortest Path Bridging Multicast (SPBM) Network is presented. An ingress Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB) device of a Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) network having at least one egress BEB coupled to at least one PIM network performs the following operations. The egress BEB, snoops join and prune messages for a multicast stream in the SPB network. A multicast tree is built in the SPB network for the multicast stream in accordance with the join and prune messages. The multicast stream is forwarded through the SPB network in accordance with the multicast tree.