Abstract: Systems and methods provide for the dynamic discovery, update and propagation of multicast streams capabilities in a network. An endpoint can be coupled to a first hop router in a network environment. The first hop router can discover multicast flow characteristics information associated with the endpoint and propagate the multicast flow characteristics information of the endpoint to additional network nodes in the network environment. The first hop router and at least a portion of the additional network nodes can form one or more multicast flows associated with the endpoint through the network environment using the multicast flow characteristic information associated with the endpoint.

Abstract: Multicast error detection and recovery may be provided. A join request for a multicast stream may be sent from a first network node to a second network node. The join request may be sent over a first link of a plurality of links between the first network node and the second network node. A redirect message indicating that the second network node cannot accommodate the join request may be received by the first network node from the second network node. In response to receiving the redirect message, the join request for the multicast stream may not be sent on a second link of the plurality of links by the first network node to the second network node. And in response to receiving the redirect message, an alternate upstream network node may be determined by the first network node to send the join request for the multicast stream to.

Abstract: Multicast error detection and recovery may be provided. A join request for a multicast stream may be sent from a first network node to a second network node. The join request may be sent over a first link of a plurality of links between the first network node and the second network node. A redirect message indicating that the second network node cannot accommodate the join request may be received by the first network node from the second network node. In response to receiving the redirect message, the join request for the multicast stream may not be sent on a second link of the plurality of links by the first network node to the second network node. And in response to receiving the redirect message, an alternate upstream network node may be determined by the first network node to send the join request for the multicast stream to.

Abstract: In service flow capability updating in a guaranteed bandwidth multicast network may be provided. First, a node may determine that a bandwidth requirement of a flow has changed to a new bandwidth value. Then, in response to determining that the bandwidth requirement of the flow has changed to the new bandwidth value, an ingress capacity value may be updated in an interface usage table for a Reverse Path Forwarding (RPF) interface corresponding to the flow. The RPF interface may be disposed on a network device. Next, in response to determining that the bandwidth requirement of the flow has changed to the new bandwidth value, an egress capacity value may be updated in the interface usage table for an Outgoing Interface (OIF) corresponding to the flow. The OIF may be disposed on the network device.

Abstract: A network device includes a control processor and a network processor unit (NPU) to forward network packets between network ports of the device. The processor downloads a new operating system (OS). The processor performs a fast upgrade to the new OS using a fast upgrade/reload technique to isolate the processor from interruptions and, without rebooting the processor, start the new OS in place of an existing OS. The fast upgrade/reload also includes delaying a reset of the NPU so that the NPU continues to route the network packets based on existing forwarding information. The fast upgrade/reload includes resetting the NPU only when the new OS first accesses the NPU, and then programming the reset NPU.