US 12,301,445 B2
Stateless and secure packet forwarding
Adiseshu Hari, Holmdel, NJ (US); Gordon Wilfong, Portland, OR (US); and Tv Lakshman, Morganville, NJ (US)
Assigned to Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, Espoo (FI)
Filed by NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS OY, Espoo (FI)
Filed on Feb. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/669,509.
Prior Publication US 2023/0261969 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. H04L 45/16 (2022.01); H04L 9/40 (2022.01); H04L 12/18 (2006.01); H04L 45/00 (2022.01); H04L 45/74 (2022.01); H04L 69/22 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 45/16 (2013.01) [H04L 12/18 (2013.01); H04L 45/566 (2013.01); H04L 45/74 (2013.01); H04L 63/0236 (2013.01); H04L 69/22 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor, and
at least one memory including instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
receive, by a node, a packet having an encoded multicast header associated therewith, wherein the encoded multicast header includes, for a link over which the packet is to be transmitted by the node, a link tuple including a link identifier of the link and a link header configured for forwarding of the packet downstream of the link, wherein the encoded multicast header includes a pointer prepended to the link tuple, wherein the pointer is set in a manner for indicating that the link tuple is the only link tuple included in the packet for the node; and
support, by the node based on the encoded multicast header, communication of the packet over the link.