Patent ID: 7944938
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: maintaining, within a network device, a first set of forwarding data for a virtual private network and a second set of forwarding data; defining, within the network device, a logical service interface to associate multicast packets received from the virtual private network with the second set of forwarding data; receiving, with the network device, a multicast packet from the virtual private network, wherein the multicast packet includes destination information for a multicast content provider external to the virtual private network; associating the multicast packet with the logical service interface; and forwarding the multicast packet to the multicast content provider in accordance with the logical service interface, wherein forwarding the multicast packet comprises bypassing, within the network device, the first set of forwarding data upon receiving the multicast packet and forwarding the multicast packet in accordance with the second set of forwarding data.