Abstract: Various systems and methods for bypassing one or more non-capable nodes. For example, one method involves a capable node determining that an adjacent node is non-capable, where capable nodes are configured to implement a data plane capability and non-capable nodes are not. The method then involves identifying a downstream node that is capable. The downstream node is on a shortest path. The method also involves generating information that identifies a tunnel to the downstream node.

Abstract: Methods and network devices are disclosed for replication and switching of Internet Protocol (IP) packets in professional media networks. In one embodiment, a method includes encapsulating a unicast IP packet with a packet bit array and forwarding the encapsulated packet via a replication fabric within a network. In this embodiment, each receiver of a plurality of receivers reachable via the replication fabric is represented by a relative bit position in the packet bit array, a respective IP address is assigned to each receiver of the plurality of receivers, and the replication fabric is adapted to store disposition information mapping a relative bit position representing one or more of the plurality of receivers to IP addresses assigned to the one or more of the plurality of receivers. An embodiment of a network device includes a processor operably coupled to a network interface and adapted to perform steps of the method.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a server generates a candidate instantiation of virtual applications among a plurality of hosts in a data center to support a multicast stream. The server provides, to a first set of agents corresponding to a first set of the plurality of hosts, a command to initiate a test multicast stream. The server provides, to a second set of agents corresponding to a second set of the plurality of hosts, a command to join the test multicast stream. The server obtains, from the second set of agents, a message indicating whether the second set of agents received the test multicast stream. If the message indicates that the second set of agents received the test multicast stream, the server causes the virtual applications to be instantiated in accordance with the candidate instantiation of the virtual applications.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a bit forwarding egress router of a first area of a multi-area bit index explicit replication (BIER) domain obtains a protocol independent multicast (PIM) join or prune request from a network node in a PIM domain. The bit forwarding egress router inserts, into the PIM join or prune request, a PIM join or prune attribute identifying a bit forwarding router identifier of the bit forwarding egress router. The bit forwarding egress router computes a path to an area border router of the first area of the multi-area BIER domain, and provides the PIM join or prune request via the path to the area border router of the first area of the multi-area BIER domain. Embodiments are also provided with respect to operations performed at an area border router and a bit forwarding ingress router of a multi-area BIER domain.

Abstract: A computer network efficiently provides a multicast network flow to a multicast recipient across a multihomed network element. The multihomed network element includes network devices that receive multicast data from a source of a multicast network flow. Each particular network device that received the multicast data publishes a notification indicating that the multicast network flow is available from the particular network device. The computer network receives a subscription to the multicast network flow from a multicast recipient, and determines whether to bridge the multicast data across the multihomed network element based on a multicast configuration of the computer network. The multihomed network element provides the multicast data to the multicast recipient from at least one of the particular network devices that received the multicast data from the source of the multicast network flow.

Abstract: A disclosed method is performed at a first boundary node bordering a BIER domain. The method includes receiving a message associated with a source and group for multicast from outside the BIER domain. The method further includes generating an encapsulated message based on the message, a metric, and a first proxy address of the first boundary node. The method also includes forwarding the encapsulated message through the BIER domain to at least one second boundary node bordering the BIER domain and connectable to the first boundary node. The first boundary node additionally triggers the at least one second boundary node to decapsulate the encapsulated message for forwarding out of the first domain and store a record including the source, the group, the metric representing the cost of the first boundary node to the source, and the first proxy address on the at least one second boundary node.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer readable storage media for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) are disclosed. One embodiment of a method includes obtaining, at an egress node of a network, a bit position assigned to the egress node. This embodiment also includes sending an outgoing advertisement to other nodes in the network, where the outgoing advertisement identifies the egress node and the assigned bit position. The bit position is within a bit mask comprising bits in a plurality of bit positions, and each bit position corresponds to a respective egress node of the network.

Abstract: Methods and network devices are disclosed for traversal, within a network configured for bit indexed forwarding, of a subnetwork having nodes not configured for bit indexed forwarding. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a first network node not configured for bit indexed forwarding, a data message comprising a local label and a message bit array. Bit values in the message bit array identify intended destination nodes for the message. The embodiment further includes modifying the message bit array to exclude as intended destination nodes for the message any nodes not represented by one or more relative bit positions associated with the local label and stored in an ingress filter data structure. In addition, the embodiment includes forwarding a copy of the data message to a second network node, which is configured for bit indexed forwarding, identified in an accessed entry of a bit indexed forwarding table.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER). For example, one method involves receiving a membership message that was generated by an egress router, where the membership message comprises information identifying a multicast group, and information identifying a plurality of egress routers. The method identifies at least one bit position in the membership message that is associated with the first egress router, where at least one bit position of the plurality of bit positions is associated with the first egress router. The method also records membership of the first egress router in the multicast group, where the membership is recorded in a bit of a group membership table, and the bit corresponds to the bit position identified in the membership message.

Abstract: Methods, devices and program instructions are disclosed for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) including fast reroute capability. One embodiment of a method includes receiving, from an egress node of a BIER network, an advertisement at a forwarding node, where the advertisement identifies a mapping of the egress node to a bit position of a packet bit string to be carried by a packet through the network. The embodiment further includes generating or updating a primary entry for the egress node in a bit indexed routing table (BIRT) for the forwarding node, and determining whether a backup entry for the egress node is to be included in the BIRT. In response to a determination that a backup entry is to be included, the embodiment further includes generating or updating the backup entry in the BIRT.

Abstract: Methods and network devices are disclosed for multicast traffic steering in a communications network. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a node in a network, a multicast message comprising an incoming message bit array and a tree identifier value. The embodiment further includes selecting a bit indexed forwarding table stored at the node and corresponding to the tree identifier value, accessing within the selected forwarding table an entry corresponding to an intended destination node for the message, and forwarding, to a neighboring node identified in the accessed entry, a copy of the message comprising a forwarded message bit array in place of the incoming message bit array. An embodiment of a network device includes one or more network interfaces and a processor adapted to perform steps of the method.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer readable storage media for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) are disclosed. One embodiment of a method includes receiving, at an ingress node of a network, a data packet comprising a multicast group identifier. This embodiment also includes obtaining, from a group membership table, a bit mask corresponding to the multicast group identifier. The bit mask comprises a plurality of bit positions, and each bit position corresponds to a respective egress node of the network. The embodiment also includes encapsulating the data packet with the bit mask and forwarding the encapsulated data packet using the bit mask.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining at a parent content node that a plurality of recipient content nodes are to receive a same content; generating, based on a determination that the same content is available at the parent content node, a multi-delivery header comprising a plurality of identifiers, wherein each identifier of the plurality of identifiers indicates each recipient content node that is to receive the same content; appending the multi-delivery header to one or more packets of an Internet Protocol (IP) flow associated with the same content; and transmitting packets for the IP flow to each of the plurality of the recipient content nodes.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for generating a bit-indexed forwarding table (BIFT) that includes a plurality of entries, each of which corresponds to a bit position of a number of bit positions. Each such bit position represents an egress network node of a plurality of egress network nodes. The BIFT is generated from an existing BIFT that includes a number of existing BIFT entries. Further, the generating configures the BIFT to be used in forwarding a packet to one or more of the egress nodes, based at least in part on a bit string in the packet. In one embodiment, the generating includes selecting a bit position of the plurality of bit positions as a selected bit position, creating an entry of the plurality of entries, and converting an existing BIFT entry of the plurality of existing BIFT entries to the entry of the plurality of entries.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving from a host node comprising a tenant multicast application with a single tenant deployment, an encapsulated multicast packet over unicast at a virtual replicator, the encapsulated multicast packet comprising receiver information for the virtual replicator, replicating the encapsulated multicast packet at the virtual replicator, and transmitting the encapsulated multicast packet over unicast to a plurality of receiving nodes based on the receiver information. The receiving nodes comprise the tenant multicast application and the virtual replicator operates in a cloud without multicast capability. An apparatus is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining at a parent content node that a plurality of recipient content nodes are to receive a same content; generating, based on a determination that the same content is available at the parent content node, a multi-delivery header comprising a plurality of identifiers, wherein each identifier of the plurality of identifiers indicates each recipient content node that is to receive the same content; appending the multi-delivery header to one or more packets of an Internet Protocol (IP) flow associated with the same content; and transmitting packets for the IP flow to each of the plurality of the recipient content nodes.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER). For example, one method involves receiving a membership request at a node. The membership request is received from a host and the membership request identifies a multicast group. In response to receiving the membership request, the node generates a membership message. The membership message includes information identifying the multicast group and information identifying the node. The node transmits the membership to an overlay participant that stores a bit string associated with the multicast group.

Abstract: Methods, network devices and computer readable media are disclosed for traffic-engineered forwarding through a new form of bit indexed explicit replication. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at an ingress node of a network, a message associated with a message flow, obtaining a message bit array corresponding to the message flow, encapsulating the message with the message bit array to form an encapsulated message, and forwarding the encapsulated message into the network. Bit positions in the message bit array are assigned to separate segments of a path or tree in the network, and an explicit path or tree for the message flow is defined as an end to end connection of multiple segments assigned bit positions having a first bit value in the message bit array.

Abstract: Methods and network devices are disclosed for multicast traffic steering in a communications network. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a first tree connecting a source node for a multicast flow through a communications network to each of multiple destination nodes for the multicast flow. The communications network is configured to forward a multicast message based on bit values in a message bit array carried by the message, and the first tree comprises a first set of unicast paths from the source node to the destination nodes. The method further includes allocating a first tree identifier to the first tree and communicating the first tree identifier and associated forwarding information to each of multiple forwarding nodes within the communications network. An embodiment of a network device includes a processor operably coupled to one or more network interfaces and adapted to perform steps of the method.

Abstract: Methods and network devices are disclosed for internet protocol (IP) based encapsulation in bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) forwarding. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a multicast message comprising an inner IP header, an intervening header, and an outer IP header. The embodiment further includes accessing a message bit array stored in the intervening header, retrieving an IP address from an entry in a bit indexed forwarding table, replacing an IP destination address in the outer IP header of a copy of the multicast message with the retrieved IP address, and sending the copy of the multicast message toward a second node in the network, where the retrieved IP address is assigned to the second node. An embodiment of a network device includes a processor operably coupled to a plurality of storage locations and to one or more network interfaces and adapted to perform steps of the method.