NETWORK MULTI-DESTINATION FORWARDING MECHANISM WHICH MINIMIZES PACKET SCHEDULING OVERHEAD

摘要

A technique for designating output interfaces (16) through which a data unit (12) is transmitted in point-to-multipoint transmission is disclosed. An indicating word (24) having a flag field (28), a group indicator field (28), and a bitmask field (30) is employed. The number of bits in the bitmask is less than the total number of output interfaces (16). The bitmask field (30) has a plurality of bits for indicating output interfaces (16) and the group indicator field (28) designates an offset value such that the bitmask field (30) and group indicator field (28) together indicate particular individual output interfaces. The flag field (26) serves as notification that additional such words are to be received in association with a given point-to-multipoint data unit transmission.