Patent ID: 9210072
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a first switch comprising a plurality of interfaces which include a first interface, the method comprising: obtaining, by the first switch, a first address of the first switch and a second address of the first switch; advertising by the first switch, on the first interface, the first address, wherein the first interface is connected to one or more second interfaces of one or more second switches in a network comprising the first switch, wherein the first interface and each second interface are operable to transmit and receive unicast packets according to a first unicast protocol and multicast packets according to a first multicast protocol, the first switch advertising the first address in accordance with the first unicast protocol, to enable the one or more second switches to forward unicast packets to the first switch in accordance with the first unicast protocol; advertising by the first switch, on the first interface, the second address in accordance with the first multicast protocol but not in accordance with the first unicast protocol, wherein the second address is for use by the one or more second switches in sending one or more multicast control packets to the first switch in accordance with the first multicast protocol, wherein the second address is different from the first address.