Patent ID: 8638789
Filing Date: 2014-01-28
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A non-transitory electronic device readable storage medium holding instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to: configure logic to intercept a unit of communication from one or more hosts by automatically sending the unit of communication to a remote controller, wherein an intended destination of the unit of communication is a network access device; intercept the unit of communication sent from the one or more hosts to the network access device with the control logic by automatically sending the unit of communication to the remote controller before the unit of communication reaches the network access device, wherein the unit of communication expresses interest in a multicast data packet destined for a multicast group address; analyze the unit of communication to determine the one or more hosts interested in receiving the multicast data packet; determine the one or more hosts interested in receiving the multicast data packet; identify a multicast-enabled router in communication with a source; and send the unit of communication from the remote controller to the multicast-enabled router, wherein the sending by-passes one or more network devices including one or more of a switch, an access router and an intermediary router that are provided between the multicast-router and the determined one or more hosts.