Controlling multicast source selection in an anycast source audio/video network
View Patent ↗Particular embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to support a multicast source selection system. In an example embodiment, the system includes a network element in data communication with a network, the network element being operable to: receive a request for withdrawal of a server as a source of a multicast data stream; and propagate information to the network indicating withdrawal of the server as a source of the multicast data stream, the propagation of information by the network element being responsive to the request for withdrawal of the server as a source of the multicast data stream.
1. A system comprising:
a network device in data communication with a network, the network device performing operations comprising:
monitoring a multicast data stream being transmitted by a server that is a source of the multicast data stream, wherein the multicast data stream is transmitted by the server over a group of routers including a first router, and wherein the monitoring by the network device is via directly receiving the multicast data stream from the first router and not directly from the server;
detecting a failure of the server to transmit the multicast data stream based on the monitoring of the multicast data stream; and
propagating information to the group of routers via unicasting indicating withdrawal of the server as the source of the multicast data stream, the propagating of the information by the network device being responsive to the detection of the failure of the server to transmit the multicast data stream.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the multicast data stream is associated with a multicast group and a source address, and wherein the network device being further operable to:
transmit a request to receive the multicast data stream to the first router that is connected to the server,
wherein the first router is not configured to associate the multicast group with the source address.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising another network device being further operable to detect a failure in the network that prevents the server from providing the multicast data stream to a network multicast receiver.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the network device being further operable to receive a manual request to withdraw the server as the source of the multicast data stream.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising another network device being further operable to configure a specific route for each of a plurality of multicast sources and wherein the system is for an internet protocol TV system for real time delivery of video content.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising another network device being further operable to configure an aggregated route that includes each of a plurality of multicast sources.
7. A system comprising:
a monitoring server that performs operations comprising:
monitoring a multicast data stream being transmitted by a first source, wherein the monitoring by the monitoring server is via directly receiving the multicast data stream from a second network device and not directly from the first source; and
detecting a failure of the first source to transmit the multicast data stream based on the monitoring of the multicast data stream;
a first network device, in data communication with the monitoring server and a network, the first network device performing operations comprising:
switching the source of the multicast data stream from the first source to a second source; and
the second network device, in data communication with the first network device and the network, the second network device performing operations comprising:
propagating information to the network indicating withdrawal of the first source of the multicast data stream, the propagating of the information by the second network device being responsive to the failure of the first source.
8. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the multicast data stream is associated with a multicast group and a source address, and wherein the first network device is not configured to associate the multicast group with the source address.
9. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first network device being further operable to detect a failure in the network that prevents the first source from providing the multicast data stream to a network multicast receiver.
10. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the monitoring server is operable to:
transmit a request to receive the multicast data stream to the second network device which is directly connected to the first source.
11. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first network device being further operable to configure a specific route for each of a plurality of multicast sources.
12. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first network device being further operable to configure an aggregated route that includes each of a plurality of multicast sources in an internet protocol TV network for real time delivery of video content.
13. A method comprising:
receiving a request for withdrawal of a server as a source of a multicast data stream, wherein the request for withdrawal is responsive to detecting a failure of the server to transmit the multicast data stream, wherein the detecting of the failure is performed by a network device that receives the multicast data stream directly from a router in communication with the server without directly receiving the multicast data stream from the server; and
propagating information to a network indicating withdrawal of the server as the source of the multicast data stream, the propagating of the information by the network device being affirmatively responsive to the request for withdrawal of the server as the source of the multicast data stream.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13 further including:
transmitting a request to receive the multicast data stream to the router,
wherein the multicast data stream is associated with a multicast group and a source address, and wherein the router is not configured to associate the multicast group with the source address.
15. The method as claimed in claim 13 further including detecting a failure in the network that prevents the server from providing the multicast data stream to a network multicast receiver.
16. The method as claimed in claim 13 further including receiving a manual request to withdraw the server as the source of the multicast data stream.
17. The method as claimed in claim 13 further including configuring a specific route for each of a plurality of multicast sources.
18. The method as claimed in claim 13 further including configuring an aggregated route that includes each of a plurality of multicast sources.
19. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon and operable on a computing system, which, responsive to being executed by the computing system causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
receiving a request for withdrawal of a server as a source of a multicast data stream, wherein the request for withdrawal is responsive to detecting a failure of the server to transmit the multicast data stream, wherein the detecting of the failure is performed by a network device that receives the multicast data stream directly from a router in communication with the server without directly receiving the multicast data stream from the server; and
propagating information to a network indicating withdrawal of the server as the source of the multicast data stream, the propagating of the information by the network device being affirmatively responsive to the request for withdrawal of the server as the source of the multicast data stream.
20. The article of manufacture according to claim 19 wherein the computer program being further operable to:
transmit a request to receive the multicast data stream to a router that is connected to the server;
receive at the network device the multicast data stream from the router, wherein the multicast data stream is associated with a multicast group and a source address, and wherein the router is not configured to associate the multicast group with the source address; and
monitor the multicast data stream for a failure.
21. The article of manufacture according to claim 19 wherein the computer program being further operable to detect a failure in the network that prevents the server from providing the multicast data stream to a network multicast receiver.
22. The article of manufacture according to claim 19 wherein the computer program being further operable to receive a manual request to withdraw the server as the source of the multicast data stream.