Patent ID: 9473315
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus comprising: a first network device adapted for communication with one or more other network devices; the first network device comprising a processor coupled to a memory; the first network device being configured: to originate a first route identifying a first tunnel for carrying traffic for a multicast; to originate a second route specifying a leaf information requirement for the multicast but not initially identifying any tunnel for carrying traffic for the multicast; and to track a plurality of receivers of the multicast based at least in part on leaf information received from the multicast receivers responsive to the specified leaf information requirement of the second route; wherein the first route comprises an inclusive route having a first tunnel attribute that identifies the first tunnel as an inclusive tunnel for the multicast and the second route comprises a selective route having a second tunnel attribute configured to indicate that it carries no tunnel information; wherein the second tunnel attribute of the selective route is configured to indicate that it carries no tunnel information by setting a tunnel type field of the second tunnel attribute to a predetermined value; and wherein the first network device is further configured to switch traffic for the multicast from the first tunnel identified by the first route to a second tunnel by updating the second route to identify the second tunnel for carrying traffic for the multicast.