Abstract: In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for redundant multicast groups, includes receiving a request for an element of content from a device, where the element of content is associated with a first source address and a redundant source group identifying multiple servers in a network including the element of content, determining a second source address within the redundant source group has a shorter distance to a location of the device, and routing packets associated with the element of content from the second source address to the device. The method further includes determining the connection has failed, and routing, automatically upon determining the connection has failed, the device to a third source address of the multiple servers, where the third source address is selected according to a server selection policy.

Abstract: A method includes generating a visual representation of one or more multicast data trees over a service provider network, each multicast data tree exchanging data between two or more of a plurality of nodes of an entity operating over the service provider network; determining a respective network bandwidth usage over each of the one or more multicast data trees and a network bandwidth waste based on current bandwidth usage of existing data tunnels of one or more multicast data trees and replication distances associated with the plurality of nodes; modifying the one or more multicast data trees based on at least the respective network bandwidth usage over each of the one or more multicast data trees to yield a modification; generating a traffic routing policy to implement the modification; and transmitting a notification to a subset of the plurality of nodes affected by the traffic routing policy.

Abstract: In some aspects, a method for establishing a multicast-only Fast Re-Route (FRR) (MoFRR) path between a source node and a receiving node in a network, the method includes receiving, by a merged receiving node, a plurality of data packets in a data flow comprising an FRR indicator, wherein the merged receiving node is configured to identify an FRR path for data transmission to the source node, extracting, by the merged receiving node, from the FRR indicator, an identification of the source node as a destination of the data transmission, and a first identifier identifying a first data packet as part of a first flow of a MoFRR, and a second identifier identifying a second data packet as part of a second flow of a MoFRR, transmitting, by the receiving node, the first data packet along a primary data path and the second data packet along a secondary data path.

Abstract: A system and associated methods provide solutions for reducing a volume of traffic through a multicast network attributed to repeated maintenance messages, which are required in order to maintain a multicast connection. The system configures provider edge devices to generate and send maintenance messages on behalf of members of a multicast group to establish and maintain the multicast connection and provides options for determining unknown locations of sources and/or subscribers, thereby reducing the overall volume of traffic transmitted over the multicast network.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to BIER forwarding over varying BSL domains, the methods including the steps of receiving, at a border node, a packet comprising a BIER header having a BIER bit string with a first bit string length; reading an incoming label of the packet comprising instructions to split the BIER header into a plurality of smaller headers associated with a plurality of smaller bit strings; generating a set of split bit masks; performing a separate bitwise AND operation on each split bit mask and the BIER bit string to generate the plurality of smaller bit strings, each copied to a corresponding smaller header of the plurality of smaller headers; and performing a lookup for each of the plurality of smaller headers on a respective forwarding table to determine one or more egress routers to which to transmit the packet.

Abstract: A system and associated methods provide solutions for reducing a volume of traffic through a multicast network attributed to repeated maintenance messages, which are required in order to maintain a multicast connection. The system configures provider edge devices to generate and send maintenance messages on behalf of members of a multicast group to establish and maintain the multicast connection and provides options for determining unknown locations of sources and/or subscribers, thereby reducing the overall volume of traffic transmitted over the multicast network.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, an Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) includes a first router configured as an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) version 3 querier and a second router configured as an IGMP version 2 querier. The second router is configured to receive a Selective Multicast Ethernet (SMET) route message generated by the first router. The SMET route message includes an IGMP version 3 join request from a receiver, and the IGMP version 3 join request includes an address of a multicast source device. The second router is further configured to convert the IGMP version 3 join request of the SMET route message to an IGMP version 2 join request. The second router is further configured to send multicast traffic from the multicast source device to the receiver via the first router.

Abstract: Techniques for generating and utilizing overlay-based Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) packets to detect issues with an underlay network. The techniques may include receiving, from a BGP peer device via a control plane path, an OAM probe indicating a forwarding path to be used for sending the traffic to a destination associated with a prefix. The techniques may also include determining, based at least in part on the OAM probe, that a next-hop device is incapable of being utilized to forward the traffic to the destination, the next-hop device determined based on an origination of the prefix. The techniques may further include performing a policy-based action based at least in part on determining that the next-hop device is incapable of being utilized to forward the traffic to the destination.

Abstract: A system and associated methods provide a scalable solution for managing multiple multicast flows within a multicast group of a multicast network. The system groups redundant sources of the multicast group according to their associated multicast flows, assigns flow identifiers to each redundant source indicative of their associated multicast flows, and facilitates Single Forwarder election to select a Single Forwarder that belongs to the appropriate multicast flow. The system provides control plane extensions that enable signaling of which redundant source belongs to which multicast flow.

Abstract: A system and associated methods provide solutions for reducing a volume of traffic through a multicast network attributed to repeated maintenance messages, which are required in order to maintain a multicast connection. The system configures provider edge devices to generate and send maintenance messages on behalf of members of a multicast group to establish and maintain the multicast connection and provides options for determining unknown locations of sources and/or subscribers, thereby reducing the overall volume of traffic transmitted over the multicast network.

Abstract: A method comprises, at routers of a network configured to provide connectivity from a multicast receiver to edge routers multihomed to a multicast source of multicast traffic on an Ethernet segment: creating a limited flood domain for the Ethernet segment, wherein the limited flood domain includes boundary routers positioned to make a final decision as to which of the edge routers to send a multicast join for the multicast traffic; by the boundary routers, upon receiving a source announcement that announces the multicast source is active on a particular edge router of the Ethernet segment, locally storing information, provided by the source announcement, which includes a multicast address for the multicast source and identifies a link to the particular edge router; and by boundary router of the boundary routers, upon receiving the multicast join, sending the multicast join to the particular edge router using the multicast address and the link.

Abstract: A system and associated methods provide a scalable solution for managing multiple multicast flows within a multicast group of a multicast network. The system groups redundant sources of the multicast group according to their associated multicast flows, assigns flow identifiers to each redundant source indicative of their associated multicast flows, and facilitates Single Forwarder election to select a Single Forwarder that belongs to the appropriate multicast flow. The system provides control plane extensions that enable signaling of which redundant source belongs to which multicast flow.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, an example process herein may comprise: causing, responsive to a triggering event, establishment of a service tree that follows a same path as a multicast parent tree through a data communication network to one or more intended recipient devices; causing a duplication of a particular flow from the multicast parent tree to the service tree; causing a determination of a performance characteristic of the particular flow through the service tree; and causing an association of the performance characteristic with the multicast parent tree.

Abstract: In an example method, a network administrative device receives an indication that a multicast data flow is experiencing traffic loss. The administrative device transmits instructions to a last hop to begin monitoring incoming traffic, if the last hop is receiving expected traffic, the last hop sends it location to the administrative device. If the last hop is not receiving expected traffic, it sends instruction to a next upstream device to start monitoring incoming traffic. Based on receiving a message indicating the location of the last hop, the administrative device determines a network fault is occurring at a location of the last hop. Based on receiving a message indicating a location of an upstream device, the administrative device determines a network fault is occurring at the location of the upstream device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device may receive a multicast path trace request for a multicast tree, wherein the device is a mid-node in the multicast tree. The device may perform, based on the device being a mid-node in the multicast tree, an upstream trace of network topology of the multicast tree from the device to a head-node of the multicast tree and a downstream trace of network topology of the multicast tree from the device to at least one tail-node. The device may generate an end-to-end visible topology of the multicast tree based on the upstream trace and the downstream trace. The device may provide the end-to-end visible topology of the multicast tree to an observability manager.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media for tracing multicast paths in hybrid networks.

Abstract: A system and associated methods provide procedures for establishing multicast connections and forwarding multicast content from a source to a subscriber when an ingress provider edge in communication with the subscriber is connected to an egress provider edge device belonging to an EVPN instance, especially in cases where the egress provider edge device is not receiving content from the source. The system configures “backup” provider edge devices belonging to the EVPN instance to temporarily forward the multicast content to the egress provider edge device on behalf of the source, enabling the ingress provider edge device and subscriber to continue to receive the multicast content from the source while the multicast network adjusts to recognize a new egress provider edge device. Methods of establishing connections between the ingress provider edge device and the correct egress provider edge device are also provided to avoid flooding and inefficient content forwarding throughout the network.

Abstract: A method is performed by a network controller that is configured to control routers configured to forward a multicast flow downstream from a first hop router that is a root of a multicast tree formed by the routers to last hop routers that terminate branches of the multicast tree, respectively. The method includes collecting operational configuration information from the routers and constructing a topological view of the multicast tree based on the operational configuration information; causing the routers to forward multicast probes downstream from the first hop router along all of the branches toward the last hop routers to trace the multicast tree; receiving, from particular ones of the last hop routers that received the multicast probes, indications that the multicast probes were received; and detecting failures in the multicast tree based on the indications and the topological view.

Abstract: A method comprises, at a first router configured to perform Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER) for forwarding of multicast packets in a network, storing configuration information that indicates that the first router belongs to multiple subdomains of a BIER domain, and is able to forward the multicast packets for a virtual private network on the multiple subdomains. The method further comprises, during an auto-discovery procedure, generating an auto-discovery message to include an auto-discovery route and route attributes that indicate the multiple subdomains, and sending the auto-discovery message to a second router of the virtual private network the network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is performed. A device may include an interface in communication with a network. The device may determine whether an all-active multi-homed ethernet segment (ES) associated with the interface is enabled. On a condition that an all-active multi-homed ES is enabled, the device may determine an ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) designated forwarder (DF) state of the all-active multi-homed ES. If the all-active multi-homed ES is enabled and has an ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) designated forwarder (DF) state, the device may enter a protocol independent multicast (PIM) designated router (DR) state. If an all-active multi-homed ES is enabled and does not have an EVPN DF state, the device may enter a PIM non-DR state.