Patent ID: 6389027
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A computer program product for use with a computer system, a host and a plurality of clients coupled to one another via a local area network (LAN), to provide a multicasting of messages using a special command set, comprising:computer readable code means for issuing a first special command to add a new IP multicast address providing a group multicast address and an IP multicast address; computer readable code means for entering said special control command in a multicast routing table; said table creating at least one entry in said table for each connection request received if said connection request contains a new IP multicast address entry; computer readable code means for providing a use count mechanism for keeping track of numbers of communication stacks which have registered with a certain IP multicast address, thus allowing different virtual hosts to register new entries; computer readable code means for comparing all inbound IP packets destined for an IP multicast address with said entries in said table and routing all matches to their appropriate communication stacks.