Patent ID: 8064451

Claim:
A method comprising: forming a first translated multicast packet from a first multicast packet, wherein the first multicast packet comprises a first source network address, the first multicast packet comprises a first destination address, the first translated multicast packet is configured to be sent via a single-source multicast channel by virtue of the forming the first translated multicast packet, and the forming the first translated multicast packet comprises replacing the first source network address with a first virtual source network address, and replacing the first destination address with a first virtual destination address; forming a second translated multicast packet from a second multicast packet, wherein the second multicast packet comprises a second source network address, the second multicast packet comprises a second destination address, the second translated multicast packet is configured to be sent via the single-source multicast channel by virtue of the forming the second translated multicast packet, and the forming the second translated multicast packet comprises replacing the second source network address with a second virtual source network address, wherein the second virtual source network address is different from the first virtual source network address, and replacing the second destination address with the first virtual destination address; forming another translated multicast packet from another multicast packet, wherein the another multicast packet comprises another source network address, and the another translated multicast packet is configured to be sent via the single-source multicast channel by virtue of the forming the another translated multicast packet comprising replacing the another source network address with the first virtual source network address; sending the first translated multicast packet via the single-source multicast channel; and sending the another translated multicast packet via the single-source multicast channel.