Facilitating IP-based multicasting control connections

Abstract

A method is provided for implementing multicast control in a point-to-multipoint tree. In accordance with such method, an operation is performed for receiving a request for translating a network element interface identifier associated with an access multiplexer from a positional port location interface identifier to a system readable interface identifier. The request is transmitted for reception by the access multiplexer from an Internet Protocol (IP) Gateway. An operation for translating from the positional port location interface identifier to the system readable interface identifier is performed after receiving the request, followed by an operation being performed for informing the IP Gateway of the translated interface identifier. Thereafter, an operation is performed for receiving a request for creating a designated root of a point-to-multipoint tree.

1 . A method for facilitating multicast control, comprising:
 receiving a request for translating a network element interface identifier associated with an access multiplexer from a positional port location interface identifier to a system readable interface identifier, wherein the request is transmitted for reception by the access multiplexer from an IP Gateway;   translating from the positional port location interface identifier to the system readable interface identifier after receiving the request;   informing the IP Gateway of the translated interface identifier; and   receiving a request for creating a designated root of a point-to-multipoint tree after informing the IP Gateway of the translated interface identifier.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the system readable interface identifier is an identifier that is internal to the access multiplexer. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the system readable interface identifier is an identifier that is proprietary to the access multiplexer. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the system readable interface identifier is chosen as at least one of a representation defining the interface's sequential position along a communication bus of the access multiplexer and a representation defining the interface's sequential priority on the bus and a representation of the location of an internal memory structure of the access multiplexer holding identifier information about the interface. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 informing includes transmitting a translate acknowledgement message from the access multiplexer to the IP Gateway; and   the translate acknowledgement message includes the translated interface identifier.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 confirming an ability to establish the designated root in response to receiving the request for creating the designated root.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein:
 the request for creating the designated root includes information capable of enabling the ability to establish the designated root to be confirmed; and   confirming the ability to establish the designated root includes assessing at least a portion of said information capable of enabling the ability to establish the designated root to be confirmed.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 transmitting a root create acknowledgement message to the IP Gateway after confirming the ability to establish the designated root, wherein the root create acknowledgement message includes a root reference identifier of the access multiplexer.   
   
   
       9 . A method for facilitating multicast control, comprising:
 receiving a request for translating a network element interface identifier associated with an access multiplexer from a positional port location interface identifier to a system readable interface identifier, wherein the request is transmitted for reception by the access multiplexer from an IP Gateway;   translating from the positional port location interface identifier to the system readable interface identifier after receiving the request;   informing the IP Gateway of the translated interface identifier;   receiving a request for creating a designated root of a point-to-multipoint tree after informing the IP Gateway of the translated interface identifier   receiving a request for adding a designated leaf to a first point-to-multipoint tree, wherein the request for adding the designated leaf designates a root reference identifier corresponding to the first point-to-multipoint tree and designates the translated interface identifier;   performing an add designated leaf operation for adding the designated leaf to the first point-to-multipoint tree;   determining a leaf identifier corresponding to the designated leaf in response to successfully performing the add designated leaf operation; and   transmitting an add leaf acknowledgement message for reception by the IP Gateway, wherein the add leaf acknowledgement message includes the leaf identifier; and   receiving a request for switching the designated leaf from the first point-to-multipoint tree to a second point-to-multipoint tree, wherein the request for switching the designated leaf designates the translated interface identifier, designates the leaf identifier corresponding to the designated leaf, designated the root reference identifier corresponding to the first point-to-multipoint tree and a root reference identifier corresponding to the second point-to-multipoint tree.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the system readable interface identifier is chosen as at least one of a representation defining the interface's sequential position along a communication bus of the access multiplexer and a representation defining the interface's sequential priority on the bus and a representation of the location of an internal memory structure of the access multiplexer holding identifier information about the interface. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein:
 informing includes transmitting a translate acknowledgement message from the access multiplexer to the IP Gateway; and   the translate acknowledgement message includes the translated interface identifier.   
   
   
       12 . A method for implementing multicast control in a point-to-multipoint tree, comprising:
 facilitating a translate interface identification operation for translating a interface identifier associated with an ATM capable node from a first type of interface identifier to a second type of interface identifier, wherein a translated interface identifier corresponding to the second type of interface identifier is generated and is transmitted from the ATM capable node for reception by an IP Gateway, and the first type of network element interface identifier is an physical location identifier, and the second type of network element interface identifier is a system readable interface identifier corresponding to the physical location identifier;   facilitating a root creation operation for creating a designated root of a point-to-multipoint tree after initiating the translate interface identification operation, wherein a root reference identifier of the ATM capable node is generated and is transmitted for reception by the IP Gateway, wherein the translated interface identifier is used for the designated root.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein facilitating the translate interface identification operation includes: transmitting a request for translating a interface identifier associated with the ATM capable node from a first type of interface identifier to a second type of interface identifier the request for is transmitted for reception by the ATM capable node from the IP Gateway; and translating the interface identifier from the first type of interface identifier to the second type of interface identifier for generating the translated interface identifier after receiving the request. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein facilitating a root creation operation includes: transmitting a request for creating a designated root of a point-to-multipoint tree after transmitting the translated network element interface identifier for reception by the IP Gateway; confirming an ability to establish the designated root in response to receiving the request for creating the designated root at the ATM capable node; and transmitting a root create acknowledgement message to the IP Gateway, wherein the root create acknowledgement message includes a root reference identifier of the ATM capable node. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein:
 the request for creating the designated root includes information capable of enabling the ability to establish the designated root to be confirmed; and   confirming the ability to establish the designated root includes assessing at least a portion of said information capable of enabling the ability to establish the designated root to be confirmed.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein facilitating a root creation operation includes associating connection-specific information with the root reference identifier. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein associating said connection-specific information with the root reference identifier includes: associating information selected from a group of connection-specific information consisting essentially of multicast traffic characteristics, preferred traffic paths, alternate traffic paths, traffic priority, external connection identifiers, internal connection identifiers, references to associated data structures, a reference to the peer node which requested creation of the connection and a reference to a list of current leaves associated with the root; and maintaining said connection-specific information at the first network element. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 facilitating an add leaf operation for adding a designated leaf to the point-to-multipoint tree.