Patent ID: 8750299

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a data packet at a first network device, the data packet providing a multicast target Media Access Control (MAC) address; forwarding the data packet to a second network device, the second network device belonging to a multicast group identified according to the multicast target MAC address; transmitting a first response to a source of the data packet, wherein the response indicates a placement of the first network device with respect to a hierarchical tree of network devices belonging to the multicast group; receiving a second response to the data packet at the first network device, the second response generated by the second network device, wherein the second response indicates a placement of the second network device with respect to the hierarchical tree of network devices belonging to the multicast group, wherein the first network device comprises a transit device located between a plurality network devices in the hierarchical tree of network devices belonging to the multicast group, wherein the transit device is orientated outside of the hierarchical tree of network devices belonging to the multicast group; and rendering a graphical representation of the hierarchical tree of the network devices including displaying a current placement of said first or second network device with respect to at least one hierarchical level.