Patent ID: 8817782

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for packet switching in a Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) network, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a first control message at a first data switching device, the first data switching device functioning as a first Backbone Edge Bridge within a transport network using Shortest Path Bridging protocol, the first data switching device also functioning as a first Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) router, the first data switching device connected to a first access network, the first control message originating from a second data switching device, the second data switching device functioning as a second Backbone Edge Bridge within the transport network, the second data switching device connected to a second access network; in response to interpreting the first control message as signaling that the second data switching device is also functioning as a second PIM router, adding the second data switching device to a record that indicates Backbone Edge Bridges within the transport network having PIM adjacency with the first data switching device; receiving a PIM Join control message at the first data switching device from the first access network; and encapsulating the PIM Join control message using Mac-in-Mac encapsulation and transmitting the PIM Join control message towards a PIM rendezvous point RP via the transport network.