US 12,463,892 B2
Avoiding multicast traffic loss during maintenance mode transition
Sandeep Betha, Burnaby (CA); Gokul Unnikrishnan, Toronto (CA); and Santosh Kumar, Morgan Hill, CA (US)
Assigned to ARISTA NETWORKS, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Arista Networks, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 12, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/602,824.
Prior Publication US 2025/0293969 A1, Sep. 18, 2025
Int. Cl. H04L 45/16 (2022.01); H04L 45/02 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 45/16 (2013.01) [H04L 45/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method performed by a network device, the method comprising the network device:
receiving traffic from a first neighbor device and sending the traffic to a second neighbor device, the traffic originating from a source;
receiving a maintenance command to go into a maintenance mode of operation;
in response to receiving the maintenance command, generating a Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) message that includes a maintenance indication code;
transmitting the PIM message to neighbors of the network device, including the first neighbor device and the second neighbor device, wherein each of the first and second neighbor devices marks the network device as going into maintenance mode;
initiating a timer subsequent to transmitting the PIM message; and
in response to expiration of the timer, transmitting a route update message to the neighbors of the network device to redirect traffic away from the network device, including the first and second neighbor devices, wherein in response to receiving the route update message:
the first neighbor stops sending traffic to the network device, and
the network device stops sending traffic to the second neighbor.