Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. Example methods to transmit multicast data in a network disclosed herein include monitoring, with a first network node, a multicast data flow to determine a characteristic for triggering a switch from a first logical topology for the multicast data flow to a second logical topology for the multicast data flow. Disclosed example methods also include, after the switch to the second logical topology, accessing a multicast data packet associated with a first multicast route generated for the multicast data flow from a second network node, and transmitting a first replication of the multicast data packet to a third network node via a unicast path, the first replication of the multicast data packet to include a first label provided by the third network node to identify the first multicast route.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. Example methods to transmit multicast data in a network disclosed herein include monitoring, with a first network node, a multicast data flow to determine a characteristic for triggering a switch from a first logical topology for the multicast data flow to a second logical topology for the multicast data flow. Disclosed example methods also include, after the switch to the second logical topology, accessing a multicast data packet associated with a first multicast route generated for the multicast data flow from a second network node, and transmitting a first replication of the multicast data packet to a third network node via a unicast path, the first replication of the multicast data packet to include a first label provided by the third network node to identify the first multicast route.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method to transmit multicast data over a communication network includes receiving, at a first machine, a multicast data packet from an ingress provider edge router of the communication network, the multicast data packet associated with a multicast route, and transmitting a first replication of the multicast data packet from the first machine to a second machine via a first unicast path. The first replication of the multicast data packet includes a first label provided by the second machine to identify the multicast route in the second machine. Example methods further include receiving the first replication of the multicast data packet at the second machine via the first unicast path, and replicating the multicast data packet from the second machine to an egress provider edge router of the communication network.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method to transmit multicast data over a communication network includes receiving, at a first machine, a multicast data packet from an ingress provider edge router of the communication network, the multicast data packet associated with a multicast route, and transmitting a first replication of the multicast data packet from the first machine to a second machine via a first unicast path. The first replication of the multicast data packet includes a first label provided by the second machine to identify the multicast route in the second machine. Example methods further include receiving the first replication of the multicast data packet at the second machine via the first unicast path, and replicating the multicast data packet from the second machine to an egress provider edge router of the communication network.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method to transmit multicast data over a communication network includes receiving, at a first machine, a multicast data packet from an ingress provider edge router of the communication network, the multicast data packet associated with a multicast route, and transmitting a first replication of the multicast data packet from the first machine to a second machine via a first unicast path. The first replication of the multicast data packet includes a first label provided by the second machine to identify the multicast route in the second machine. Example methods further include receiving the first replication of the multicast data packet at the second machine via the first unicast path, and replicating the multicast data packet from the second machine to an egress provider edge router of the communication network.

Abstract: Example methods disclosed herein include registering a first leaf node to receive multicast data from a source via a first network node in response to receiving, from the first leaf node, a first message addressed to an anycast address, the anycast addressed being assigned to the first network node to associate the first network node with a second hierarchical level of a replication hierarchy. The disclosed example methods also include receiving the multicast data from a second network node associated with a first hierarchical level of the replication hierarchy. The disclosed example methods further include, after registering the first leaf node with the first network node, replicating the multicast data to generate copies of the multicast data to be transmitted via respective unicast paths to respective ones of a plurality of leaf nodes, including the first leaf node, registered with the first network node to receive the multicast data.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method to transmit multicast data over a communication network includes receiving, at a first machine, a multicast data packet from an ingress provider edge router of the communication network, the multicast data packet associated with a multicast route, and transmitting a first replication of the multicast data packet from the first machine to a second machine via a first unicast path. The first replication of the multicast data packet includes a first label provided by the second machine to identify the multicast route in the second machine. Example methods further include receiving the first replication of the multicast data packet at the second machine via the first unicast path, and replicating the multicast data packet from the second machine to an egress provider edge router of the communication network.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method to transmit multicast data over a communication network includes: determining an upstream hop of a multicast transmission based on a received hierarchical ingress replication route; storing a downstream hop and the upstream hop of the multicast transmission in a multicast routing table; monitoring the multicast transmission occurring via an area border router; in response to detecting at least one of a) a threshold fan-out of the multicast transmission or b) a threshold data rate from a source of the multicast transmission, converting a logical topology of the multicast transmission; and in response to receiving a multicast data packet of the multicast transmission, replicating the multicast data packet with the processor based on the downstream hop.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage routing information in an IP network using extensible indexing and use the indexing to control the network. The indexing and associated controls apply to any router within the routing domain.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method to transmit multicast data over a communication network includes: determining an upstream hop of a multicast transmission based on a received hierarchical ingress replication route; storing a downstream hop and the upstream hop of the multicast transmission in a multicast routing table; monitoring the multicast transmission occurring via an area border router; in response to detecting at least one of a) a threshold fan-out of the multicast transmission or b) a threshold data rate from a source of the multicast transmission, converting a logical topology of the multicast transmission; and in response to receiving a multicast data packet of the multicast transmission, replicating the multicast data packet with the processor based on the downstream hop.

Abstract: Example methods disclosed herein include registering a first leaf node to receive multicast data from a source via a first network node in response to receiving, from the first leaf node, a first message addressed to an anycast address, the anycast addressed being assigned to the first network node to associate the first network node with a second hierarchical level of a replication hierarchy. The disclosed example methods also include receiving the multicast data from a second network node associated with a first hierarchical level of the replication hierarchy. The disclosed example methods further include, after registering the first leaf node with the first network node, replicating the multicast data to generate copies of the multicast data to be transmitted via respective unicast paths to respective ones of a plurality of leaf nodes, including the first leaf node, registered with the first network node to receive the multicast data.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method includes sending a multicast receiver route received from one of a multicast service processor or a provider edge router to another of the multicast service processor or the provider edge router, wherein the multicast service processor is communicatively coupled to the provider edge router via a multicast control plane topology that is non-congruent to a unicast control plane topology, and replicating multicast data received from the other of the multicast service processor or the provider edge router to the one of the provider edge router or the multicast service processor based on the multicast receiver route.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for network multicasting using hierarchical replication are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to send multicast data associated with a source to a plurality of receivers in a network comprises replicating the multicast data received at a first network node, the multicast data received via a first unicast path, the first network node being associated with a first hierarchical level of a replication hierarchy, sending copies of the multicast data to a plurality of network nodes associated with a second hierarchical level of the replication hierarchy via second unicast paths, and replicating a copy of the multicast data received via one of the second unicast paths at a second network node to send the multicast data via a third unicast path for receipt by a receiver in the plurality of receivers, the second network node being in the plurality of network nodes associated with the second hierarchical level.

Abstract: Example scalable multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) based networks, and methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to implement the same are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes determining at an area border router (ABR) an OSPF metric representing a cost associated with transporting data between a provider edge router (PER) and the ABR within a non-zero OSPF area, replacing at the ABR a first MPLS label included in a BGP message received from the PER with a second MPLS label associated with the PER and assigned by the ABR, replacing at the ABR a next-hop attribute included in the BGP message with a value representing a loopback address of the ABR, updating at the ABR a route cost attribute included in the BGP message to include the OSPF metric, and re-advertising from the ABR the modified BGP message into an OSPF area 0.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method includes sending a multicast receiver route received from one of a multicast service processor or a provider edge router to another of the multicast service processor or the provider edge router, wherein the multicast service processor is communicatively coupled to the provider edge router via a multicast control plane topology that is non-congruent to a unicast control plane topology, and replicating multicast data received from the other of the multicast service processor or the provider edge router to the one of the provider edge router or the multicast service processor based on the multicast receiver route.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage routing information in an IP network using extensible indexing and use the indexing to control the network. The indexing and associated controls apply to any router within the routing domain.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for network multicasting using hierarchical replication are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to send multicast data associated with a source to a plurality of receivers in a network comprises replicating the multicast data received at a first network node, the multicast data received via a first unicast path, the first network node being associated with a first hierarchical level of a replication hierarchy, sending copies of the multicast data to a plurality of network nodes associated with a second hierarchical level of the replication hierarchy via second unicast paths, and replicating a copy of the multicast data received via one of the second unicast paths at a second network node to send the multicast data via a third unicast path for receipt by a receiver in the plurality of receivers, the second network node being in the plurality of network nodes associated with the second hierarchical level.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method, which can comprise providing a preferred route for a predetermined block of traffic to a router. The predetermined block of traffic can be destined for a predetermined destination. The predetermined destination can be coupled to a network via a plurality of routers. The preferred route can be adapted to override an initial route.

Abstract: Example scalable multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) based networks, and methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to implement the same are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes determining at an area border router (ABR) an OSPF metric representing a cost associated with transporting data between a provider edge router (PER) and the ABR within a non-zero OSPF area, replacing at the ABR a first MPLS label included in a BGP message received from the PER with a second MPLS label associated with the PER and assigned by the ABR, replacing at the ABR a next-hop attribute included in the BGP message with a value representing a loopback address of the ABR, updating at the ABR a route cost attribute included in the BGP message to include the OSPF metric, and re-advertising from the ABR the modified BGP message into an OSPF area 0.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage routing information in an IP network using extensible indexing and use the indexing to control the network. The indexing and associated controls apply to any router within the routing domain.