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.

Abstract: In one embodiment, method includes receiving, by a first network apparatus, a first multicast message from a second network apparatus. The first multicast message includes attestation-capability information associated with the second network apparatus and an attestation token. The attestation token is for proving that the second network apparatus is in a known safe state. The method also includes determining, by the first network apparatus, that the attestation-capability information satisfies a pre-determined attestation capability requirement and determining, by the first network apparatus, that the attestation token is valid for the second network apparatus at a current time. The method further includes establishing, by the first network apparatus, an adjacency to the second network apparatus.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a network node connected in a network fabric may identify that it is established as part of a multicast distribution tree for forwarding multicast traffic from a source node to one or more host receiver devices of a multicast group. In response, the network node may propagate in the network fabric a message for advertising the network node as a candidate local source node at which to join the multicast group. The message for advertising may include data such as a reachability metric. The propagation of the message may be part of a flooding of such messages in the network fabric. The network node serving as the candidate local source node may thereafter “locally” join a host receiver device in the multicast group at the network node so that the device may receive the multicast traffic from the source node via the network node.

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.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for logical flow aggregation for fragmented multicast flows, the methods including the steps of identifying a plurality of fragmented multicast flows that are logically related as a single flow in a multicast network; generating a plurality of multicast joins associated with the plurality of fragmented multicast flows, wherein each multicast join of the plurality of multicast joins includes a join attribute comprising a common flow identifier that identifies the plurality of fragmented multicast flows as logically related; and selecting a reverse forwarding path toward an upstream device for the plurality of multicast joins.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a first router, data from a network component. The method also includes determining, by the first router, a first link bandwidth capacity between the first router and a host device and determining, by the first router, a first score for the first router based on the first link bandwidth capacity, The method also includes determining, by the first router, a second link bandwidth capacity between a second router and the host device and determining, by the first router, a second score for the second router based on the second link bandwidth capacity. The method further includes comparing, by the first router, at least the first score and the second score to determine a highest score and assigning, by the first router, an edge router associated with the highest score to communicate the data to the host device.

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 method is performed at a router configured to perform Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER) for forwarding of multicast packets in a network. The method includes, upon receiving a multicast packet of a multicast flow, accessing flow mappings in which multicast flows are mapped to fixed accounting values corresponding to the multicast flows. The method further comprises generating a BIER header for the multicast packet by encoding a multi-segment entropy field of the BIER header with (i) a variable entropy value for equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) load balancing, and (ii) a fixed accounting value among the fixed accounting values that is mapped to the multicast flow in the flow mappings. The method also includes encapsulating the multicast packet with the BIER header to produce an encapsulated multicast packet, and forwarding the encapsulated multicast packet.

Abstract: A method is performed by a first provider edge (PE) of a redundancy group including provider edges configured with an Ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) segment identifier (EVI) and an Ethernet segment identifier (ESI) and that are multi-homed to a customer edge (CE). The method includes, upon receiving from the CE a join request including a group address for a multicast stream, electing a designated forwarder (DF) for the multicast stream. The electing includes: computing for each PE a respective affinity for the DF as a function of a respective address of the PE, the EVI, and the group address; and determining which PE has a largest affinity. The method further includes, if the first PE has the largest affinity or does not have the largest affinity, configuring the first PE as the designated forwarder or not configuring the first PE as the designated forwarder for the multicast stream, respectively.

Abstract: A method is performed by a network controller. The method includes receiving information that defines a topology of a network having Ethernet Segments configured with virtual local area networks (VLANs) and including provider edges that are multi-homed to customer edges. The method further comprises, based on the topology, determining for the VLANs particular provider edges among the provider edges that are to operate as designated forwarders of traffic for the VLANs, such that the VLANs are load balanced across the particular provider edges. The method also includes programming the particular provider edges as the designated forwarders of traffic for the VLANs.

Abstract: A method is performed at a provider edge node configured to communicate with remote provider edge nodes over an Ethernet virtual private network. The method includes receiving, from the remote provider edge nodes, route advertisements for a common subnet hosted on the remote provider edge nodes. The route advertisements include distinct remote route distinguishers, a common IP prefix for the common subnet, and remote paths for the common subnet. The method further includes determining whether there are at least a predetermined number of the remote paths preferred over a local path for the common subnet hosted on the provider edge node based on the remote route distinguishers and a local route distinguisher for the local path. The method includes, when there are at least the predetermined number of the remote paths preferred over the local path, suppressing sending of a route advertisement for the local path for the common subnet.

Abstract: A method is performed at a router configured to perform Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER) for forwarding of multicast packets in a network. The method includes, upon receiving a multicast packet of a multicast flow, accessing flow mappings in which multicast flows are mapped to fixed accounting values corresponding to the multicast flows. The method further comprises generating a BIER header for the multicast packet by encoding a multi-segment entropy field of the BIER header with (i) a variable entropy value for equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) load balancing, and (ii) a fixed accounting value among the fixed accounting values that is mapped to the multicast flow in the flow mappings. The method also includes encapsulating the multicast packet with the BIER header to produce an encapsulated multicast packet, and forwarding the encapsulated multicast packet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a first router, data from a network component. The method also includes determining, by the first router, a first link bandwidth capacity between the first router and a host device and determining, by the first router, a first score for the first router based on the first link bandwidth capacity. The method also includes determining, by the first router, a second link bandwidth capacity between a second router and the host device and determining, by the first router, a second score for the second router based on the second link bandwidth capacity. The method further includes comparing, by the first router, at least the first score and the second score to determine a highest score and assigning, by the first router, an edge router associated with the highest score to communicate the data to the host device.

Abstract: A method is performed by a first provider edge (PE) of a redundancy group including provider edges configured with an Ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) segment identifier (EVI) and an Ethernet segment identifier (ESI) and that are multi-homed to a customer edge (CE). The method includes, upon receiving from the CE a join request including a group address for a multicast stream, electing a designated forwarder (DF) for the multicast stream. The electing includes: computing for each PE a respective affinity for the DF as a function of a respective address of the PE, the EVI, and the group address; and determining which PE has a largest affinity. The method further includes, if the first PE has the largest affinity or does not have the largest affinity, configuring the first PE as the designated forwarder or not configuring the first PE as the designated forwarder for the multicast stream, respectively.

Abstract: A networking environment includes a first node and a second node configured as Ethernet Virtual Private Networking (EVPN) peers on an EVPN subnet that is coupled to a Layer 3 VPN over a core network. The first node receives a first multicast join request from a third node in the core network, the first multicast join request including a source address and multicast group address of a source of a multicast stream. The first node determines that the source address and the multicast group address for the source are behind the EVPN subnet at the second node. The first node sends to the second node, a control plane join request message that includes a receiver identifier that identifies the third node as a receiver of the multicast stream, the receiver identifier enabling the second node to forward the multicast stream directly into the core network to the third node.

Abstract: In an example method for redundant multicast trees with fast recovery, a protocol independent multicast (PIM) backup designated router (BDR) can receive a request from a host to join a multicast group associated with a source; send to a next hop a PIM join message identifying an address of the PIM BDR and identifying the PIM join message as a backup PIM join; receive, from a PIM router along a path to/from the source, a unicast message sent to the address which identifies a second address associated with the PIM router; store the second address and a route associated with the unicast message; in response to a designated router migration trigger, set to blocking a backup multicast tree state associated with the source and multicast group; and send, to the PIM router, a unicast message including instructions to set to blocking a backup multicast tree state at the PIM router.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for configuring an edge router of a communication provider network, the edge router coupled to communicate with a plurality of media streaming playback devices. Based at least in part on an indication of characteristics associated with the plurality of media streaming playback devices, a first multicast join for the edge router is configured to the communication provider network such that one or more media servers delivers a first plurality of media streams to the edge router via the communication provider network. Based at least in part on an indication of a request for an additional media stream not included in the first plurality of media streams, a second multicast join for the edge router is configured to the communication provider network such that the one or more media servers delivers the additional media stream to the edge router via the communication provider network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, resource availability reallocation is used in establishing one or more new designated multicast flow paths with guaranteed availability of resources currently allocated and/or used by one or more designated existing multicast flow path to allocate/use for the new designated flow path(s). These resources typically include allocated guaranteed bandwidth of a network path between two adjacent or non-adjacent nodes of the network, and possibly forwarding/processing/memory resources of a network node. One embodiment communicates multicast control messages between nodes identifying to establish a new multicast flow path with resource availability reallocation from a designated multicast flow path.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a first label-distribution-protocol (LDP) session is established between a first interface of a first computing device and a second computing device, while a second LDP session is established between a second interface and the second computing device. The method may further comprise receiving a request from a third computing device to subscribe to a multicast group, storing an association between a first label, the multicast group, and the first interface, and sending, to the second computing device via the first LDP session, an indication that the first label is associated with the multicast group. Further, the method may include receiving a request from a fourth computing device to subscribe to the multicast group, storing an association between a second label, the multicast group and, the second interface, and sending, via the second LDP session, an indication that the second label is associated with the multicast group.