Abstract: An automatic route reflector configuration system includes a plurality of router devices that are coupled to each other in an autonomous system, with each of the router devices exchanging discovery communications, using information included in the discovery communications to generate a route reflector configuration database, and electing a closest one of the router devices as a route reflector based on the route reflector configuration database. Each router device elected as a route reflector then transmits automatic route reflector peering communications to each of the other router devices that include a role for that router device, receives an acceptance of the role for that router device from at least some of the router devices to which it transmitted automatic route reflector peering communications, and exchanges routes with each of the router devices that accepted the role for that router device.

Abstract: In multicast management, topology information identifying multicast distribution paths is maintained at a router serving as a root of a multicast distribution tree and/or as a first hop router. The router can detect congestion or failures based on messages from other routers. The router can request another router to change the multicast distribution paths as needed to load-balance the traffic, avoid congestion or failure, or eliminate duplicate traffic. In some embodiments, ECMP Redirect functionality is expanded to ECMP paths of arbitrary number of hops. Other features are also provided.

Abstract: A Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller controls multicast traffic in an SDN domain and one or more non-SDN domains imbedded in the SDN domain.

Abstract: An automatic route reflector configuration system includes a plurality of router devices that are coupled to each other in an autonomous system, with each of the router devices exchanging discovery communications, using information included in the discovery communications to generate a route reflector configuration database, and electing a closest one of the router devices as a route reflector based on the route reflector configuration database. Each router device elected as a route reflector then transmits automatic route reflector peering communications to each of the other router devices that include a role for that router device, receives an acceptance of the role for that router device from at least some of the router devices to which it transmitted automatic route reflector peering communications, and exchanges routes with each of the router devices that accepted the role for that router device.

Abstract: A Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller controls multicast traffic in an SDN domain and one or more non-SDN domains imbedded in the SDN domain.

Abstract: In multicast management, topology information identifying multicast distribution paths is maintained at a router serving as a root of a multicast distribution tree and/or as a first hop router. The router can detect congestion or failures based on messages from other routers. The router can request another router to change the multicast distribution paths as needed to load-balance the traffic, avoid congestion or failure, or eliminate duplicate traffic. In some embodiments, ECMP Redirect functionality is expanded to ECMP paths of arbitrary number of hops. Other features are also provided.