Patent ID: 8879553
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for forwarding a multicast data frame, comprising: receiving a multicast data frame on a first input port of a networking element, wherein the multicast data frame is an Ethernet frame; storing at least a portion of the multicast data frame in each of a first plurality of buffers, wherein the portion of the multicast data frame is at least a portion of a payload of the Ethernet frame, and wherein at least one of the first plurality of buffers is assigned to a second input port of the networking element; storing a respective header corresponding to each of the portions of the multicast data frame in a second plurality of buffers, wherein at least one of the second plurality of buffers is assigned to the second input port; combining each of the portions of the received multicast data frame with the corresponding header to generate data packets; and separately forwarding each of the data packets based on the respective headers via respective output connection interfaces of the networking element, wherein a first one of the output connection interfaces is assigned to the first input port and a second one of the connection interfaces is assigned to the second input port, wherein the first input port borrows the at least one buffer of the first plurality of buffers, the at least one buffer of the second plurality of buffers, and the respective output connection interface assigned to the second input port.