Patent ID: 8650286

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a first control plane message from a first edge node in a plurality of edge nodes included in a plurality of network elements of a network, the first control plane message identifying a first hint to be included in first multicast packets that include data originating from a first computing device interfaced with the first edge node and are forwarded to the network through the first edge node, wherein the first hint is to be added to the first multicast packets following transmission of the first multicast data packets by the first computing device; storing, in a memory device, a data record identifying the association between the first hint and the first computing device, wherein the data record is for use in interpreting hints included in received multicast packets to determine whether the multicast packets include the first hint and originate from the first computing device, and wherein multicast packets including data originating from the first computing device are not to be forwarded to the first computing device by edge nodes, in the plurality of edge nodes, interfacing with the first computing device.