Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for securing a session in a system having application and network layers. The session is managed by a session manager. Security components used in the session are provided by a security storage. The session manager coordinates a mapping of a conference session at the application layer to a multicast session at the network layer using the security components provided by the security storage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing key certificates across PIM-SM routing domains by MSDP messages. A rendez-vous point RP in a PIM-SM domain can have a MSDP peering relationship with other rendez-vous point RP's in other domains. The peering relationship is a transport control protocol (TCP). Each domain has a connection to the MSDP topology through which it can exchange control information with active sources and rendez-vous points RP's in other domains. The normal source-tree building mechanism in PIM-SM is used to deliver multicast data over an internet domain distribution tree.

Abstract: A route table providing a list of pointers to checksum values computed across routes of interest to a particular protocol. A method of updating the route table when a route is changed and also updating the checksum values is further described. Updates to the checksum value may be done using an exclusive OR process allowing for relatively fast, incremental updates to the checksum value.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for aggregating a sorted list of IP prefix pairs. A prefix pair in the list is compared to a lowest IP length subnet boundary. The prefix pair is added to a final list if the prefix pair is not on the lowest IP length subnet boundary and the prefix pair is not a first in pair. The prefix pair is moved to a next lower length list if the prefix pair is on the lowest IP length subnet boundary and the prefix pair is a next expected pair. A next higher list is selected, and the method is repeated until there are no more lists.