Patent ID: 6331983
Filing Date: 2001-12-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
In a switched-based communications network including a plurality of hosts and switches connected by links, each switch having at least one network port connected to another switch and at least some switches having access ports connected to hosts, each host having a unique address, and each switch including a connection database of valid connections between different ports on the switch and a switching setup mechanism for establishing temporary connections between the different ports on the switch, the improvement comprising a method for processing multicast packets comprising steps of:receiving, at a source switch, a multicast packet on an access port from a source host;determining, by the source switch, a group address from the multicast packet; andcomposing and sending, by the source switch, a sender present message, containing the group address and the source host address, to other switches on its network ports wherein a receiving switch receives the sender present message and determines whether a local host attached to one of its access ports wishes to join the group address identified in the sender present message;if yes, the receiving switch composes and sends a map message toward the source switch on a predetermined path, the map message containing the group address, the source host address and the predetermined path between the receiving switch and the source switch.