Abstract: A method for communication includes coupling a first port of a Layer-3 packet router to receive communication traffic from a network, the traffic including packets destined for a target address, which is accessible via a second port of the router. At the router, the packets that are destined for the target address are diverted to a traffic processor via a third port of the router. The diverted packets are processed at the traffic processor, and returning the processed packets to the router via the third port. At the router, the processed packets are conveyed from the third port to the second port for delivery to the target address.

Abstract: A hybrid device for forwarding traffic in a communication network is provided. According to one embodiment, the hybrid device comprises a layer-2 switch, a multicast forwarding information and a multicast router. The layer-2switch forwards a unicast traffic based on a destination address in the data-link layer within the unicast traffic. The multicast forwarding information may be learned by a subscribe request, an unsubscribe request, and query responses. The multicast router forwards a multicast traffic using a network address within a layer-3 header in the multicast traffic and the multicast forwarding information, the multicast traffic is forwarded toward a user device having requested the traffic via a subscribe request.

Abstract: A method for communication includes coupling a first port of a Layer-3 packet router to receive communication traffic from a network, the traffic including packets destined for a target address, which is accessible via a second port of the router. At the router, the packets that are destined for the target address are diverted to a traffic processor via a third port of the router. The diverted packets are processed at the traffic processor, and returning the processed packets to the router via the third port. At the router, the processed packets are conveyed from the third port to the second port for delivery to the target address.