Patent ID: 8427959
Filing Date: 2013-04-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising, at a network node: receiving from a requesting device an inbound multicast reception request for transmission of a multicast data flow to the requesting device via the network node, the requesting device being downstream of the network node for the multicast data flow; determining a bandwidth requirement of a the multicast data flow during equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing, the multicast data flow to be received by the network node from an upstream network node at one of a plurality of data path links at the network node, the upstream network node being upstream of the network node for the multicast data flow; determining respective bandwidth available for the multicast data flow via each of the plurality of data path links, and storing data indicative of the available bandwidth via each of the plurality of data path links in a memory; identifying from the plurality of data path links two or more candidate data path links, each candidate data path link individually satisfying the bandwidth requirement of the multicast data flow; using one or more processors, selecting a particular one of the two or more candidate data path links for reception of the multicast data flow, the particular data path link being selected based at least in part on the respective available bandwidth via each of the plurality of data path links; and communicating to the upstream network node the selection of the particular data path link for reception of the multicast data flow, to indicate that the upstream network node is to send the multicast data flow to the network node along only a particular data path, the particular data path corresponding to the particular data path link.