Methods and apparatus for managing multicast traffic through a switch

Abstract

A method for managing multicast traffic through a switch operating in the layer 2 of the OSI model, and routers and switches involved in the method. In one implementation a router sends to a switch a message containing identification of specific equipment which has requested specific multicast traffic, and also containing a specification of the specific traffic, and when the switch receives data carrying multicast traffic, based on the destination and origin addresses of the data, and based on the identification of the specific equipment and of the specification of the specific multicast traffic that it has received in the message, the switch deduces if the data carry the specific traffic that has been requested by the specific equipment, and decides through which of its ports it transmits the data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of managing multicast traffic through a switch operating in the layer  2  of the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model and operatively connected to a network interface of a router, the method comprising:
 a. receiving by the switch a request for a multicast traffic, the request sent by the router that has received the request from a network device; 
 b. receiving by the switch a message comprising data indicative of the network device and a specification of the requested multicast traffic; 
 c. upon receiving by the switch through one of its ports data carrying multicast traffic, deciding, by the switch, through which of its ports to transmit the data carrying multicast traffic, the decision based on the destination and origin addresses of said data carrying multicast traffic, data indicative of the network device and on the specification of the requested multicast traffic. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the network device is a host or another router operatively coupled to the router. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the message comprises information indicative of one or more sources of the multicast traffic requested by the network device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising storing by the switch records for each network device and multicast group, the information indicative of sources of the multicast traffic requested by respective network device; and updating the stored records responsive to the respective messages received by the switch from the router.