Method and apparatus for multicast of ATM cells

The present invention pertains to a method for multicasting ATM cells. The method comprises the steps of reading a first ATM cell to which a first cell read pointer is pointing. Then there is the step of transmitting the first ATM cell out a first port to a first address. Next there is the step of determining whether the first ATM cell is to be transmitted out the first port to a second address. Next there is the step of reading a cell pointer pointing to a second ATM cell if the transmission of the first ATM cell out the first port to addresses is completed. The present invention pertains to a multicast system for an ATM network. The multicast system is comprised of a first ATM cell pointer mechanism associated with a first port. The multicast system also comprises at least a second ATM cell pointer mechanism associated with a second port. The multicast system is also comprised of at least a first ATM cell. The first ATM cell pointer mechanism and the second ATM cell pointer mechanism points to the first ATM cell. There is a first node having a first address and a node address pointer. The first ATM cell pointer mechanism points to the first node. There is a second node having a second address. The node address pointer of the first node points to the second node. The first and second nodes form a linked list of addresses. The first ATM cell preferably has a cell pointer. The multicast system preferably includes a second ATM cell. The cell pointer of the first ATM cell points to the second ATM cell. The first ATM cell and second ATM cell forms a linked list of ATM cells. The multicast system can include a controller for controlling when a pointer is read and when an ATM cell is transmitted out a port and with which address. The controller is in communication with the nodes, cells and pointers. The multicast system preferably also includes a write pointer pointing to a last ATM cell in the linked list of ATM cells.