Abstract: An embodiment consistent with the present invention includes a method and apparatus for forming a multicast repair tree. The methods perform by a data processor and comprises the steps of determining, for each of a plurality of potential heads in a multicast group, a ranking value associated with the potential head; advertising, by the potential heads to a plurality of potential receivers; prioritizing, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads; and binding, by a potential receiver to the head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver,is a member and the potential head is the head. The ranking values may include “able”, “unable”, “willing”, and “reluctant.” The ranking value of a potential head determines in accordance with a static or a dynamic configuration. Ranking values determine dynamically based on ranges of system resource levels such as memory and available processor resources.

Abstract: An embodiment consistent with the present invention includes a method and apparatus for distributing multicast data. The method may be performed by a data processor and comprises the steps of forming a multicast repair tree including a sender, a plurality of heads, and a plurality of receivers, wherein at least one head is associated with the sender and at least one receiver is associated with the head; sending, by a sender to the plurality of heads and the plurality of receivers, a plurality of multicast messages at a data rate; receiving, by the sender from one of the plurality of heads, a congestion status associated with a receiver of the head; and slowing the data rate, by the sender, in accordance with the congestion status.

Abstract: An embodiment consistent with the present invention includes a method and apparatus for forming a multicast repair tree. The method may be performed by a data processor and comprises the steps of determining, for each of a plurality of potential heads in a multicast group, a ranking value associated with the potential head; advertising, by the potential heads to a plurality of potential receivers; prioritizing, by a potential receiver, the ranking values from the potential heads; and binding, by a potential receiver to the head having the highest ranking value, thereby forming a group of which the potential receiver is a member and the potential head is the head. The head may also be the sender. There may be a plurality of heads. The ranking values may include “able”, “unable”, “willing”, and “reluctant.” The ranking value of a potential head may be determined in accordance with a static or a dynamic configuration.

Abstract: An embodiment consistent with the present invention includes a method and apparatus for distributing multicast data. The method may be performed by a data processor and comprises the steps of forming a multicast repair tree including a sender, a plurality of heads, and a plurality of receivers, wherein at least one head is associated with the sender and at least one receiver is associated with the head; sending, by a sender to the plurality of heads and the plurality of receivers, a plurality of multicast messages at a data rate; receiving, by the sender from one of the plurality of heads, a congestion status associated with a receiver of the head; and slowing the data rate, by the sender, in accordance with the congestion status.