Patent ID: 7719958

Claim:
A method of enabling multicast routing over a Split MultiLink Trunk (SMLT) having multiple links and extending between a first network element and second and third network elements, said SMLT having a first SMLT link extending from the first network element to the second network element, and said SMLT having a second SMLT link extending from the first network element to the third network element, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, by the second network element, a multicast routing protocol control message over the first SMLT link; transmitting, by the second network element, the multicast routing protocol control message over an Inter-Switch Trunk (IST) extending between the second network element and third network element; receiving, by the third network element, the multicast routing protocol control message on the IST; determining, by the third network element, whether the multicast routing protocol control message is associated with the first network element; processing, by the third network element, the multicast routing protocol control message as if it had been received over a port assigned to the second SMLT link if it is determined that the multicast routing protocol control message is associated with the first network element; receiving, by the third network element, multicast data traffic associated with a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) on the IST; determining whether the multicast data traffic is to be forwarded over a SMLT link; and not forwarding the traffic over the SMLT link if the SMLT link is associated with the VLAN; and forwarding the traffic over the SMLT link if the SMLT link is not associated with the VLAN, to thereby use the IST to enable multicast data traffic to be routed between VLANs.