Method and system for enhanced internet protocol address aggregation
View Patent ↗The present invention advantageously provides a method, system and apparatus for aggregating multiple site-specific routes, by determining a first aggregate-aware route that includes a prefix of a site-specific address and a prefix length of an aggregate route address of a first service provider. The method and system can be implemented as an enhancement to existing IP protocols such as BGP and other inter-domain routing protocols. The method and apparatus may further include applying a routing protocol policy in which an aggregate route may serve as a proxy for an aggregate-aware route when the address of the aggregate route matches the address of the aggregate-aware route. The method and system may yet further include determining a second aggregate-aware route that includes the prefix of the aggregate route address of the first service provider and a prefix length of a second aggregate route address of a second service provider. The method and system may yet still further include determining a first aggregate-aware route that includes at least two autonomous system identifiers from a multi-homing zone and a multi-homing zone diameter.
1. A method for aggregating multiple site-specific routes, the method comprising:
determining a first aggregate-aware route at a first service provider, the first aggregate-aware route including a prefix of a site-specific address, a prefix length of the site-specific address and a prefix length of an aggregate route address of the first service provider.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first aggregate-aware route includes applying a routing protocol policy.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the routing protocol policy allows an aggregate route to serve as a proxy for the first aggregate-aware route when an address of the aggregate route matches the address of the first aggregate-aware route.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the routing protocol policy includes determining that the first aggregate-aware route address has a route preference flag, the route preference flag indicating that an aggregate route is to serve as a proxy for the first aggregate-aware route.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a second aggregate-aware route that includes the prefix of the aggregate route address of the first service provider and a prefix length of a second aggregate route address of a second service provider.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the second aggregate-aware route includes applying a routing protocol policy.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the routing protocol policy includes allowing the second aggregate route to serve as a proxy for the first aggregate-aware route when the address of the second aggregate route matches the address of the first aggregate-aware route.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first aggregate-aware route further includes at least two autonomous system identifiers from a multi-homing zone.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first aggregate-aware route further includes a multi-homing zone diameter.
10. An apparatus for aggregating multiple site-specific routes, the apparatus comprising:
a storage device, the storage device storing a site-specific address and an aggregate route address of a first service provider; and
a central processing unit, the central processing unit operating to determine a first aggregate-aware route including a prefix of a site-specific address, a prefix length of the site-specific address and a prefix length of the aggregate route address of the first service provider.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is a router.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein determining the first aggregate-aware route includes applying a routing protocol policy.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the routing protocol policy allows the aggregate route to serve as a proxy for the first aggregate-aware route when the address of the aggregate route matches the address of the aggregate-aware route.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the routing protocol policy includes determining that the first aggregate-aware route address has a route preference flag, the route preference flag indicating that an aggregate route is to serve as a proxy for the first aggregate-aware route.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 , the processor further comprising determining a second aggregate-aware route that includes the prefix of the aggregate route address of the first service provider and a prefix length of a second aggregate route address of a second service provider.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein determining the second aggregate-aware route includes applying a routing protocol policy.
17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first aggregate-aware route further includes at least two autonomous system identifiers from a multi-homing zone.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first aggregate-aware route further includes a multi-homing zone diameter.
19. A storage medium storing a computer program which when executed by a processing unit performs a method for aggregating multiple site-specific routes, the method comprising:
determining a first aggregate-aware route at a first service provider, the first aggregate-aware route including a prefix of a site-specific address, a prefix length of the site-specific address and a prefix length of the aggregate route address of the first service provider.
20. The storage medium of claim 19 , wherein determining the first aggregate-aware route includes applying a routing protocol policy.
21. The storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the routing protocol policy allows the aggregate route to serve as a proxy for the first aggregate-aware route when the address of the aggregate route matches the address of the first aggregate-aware route.
22. The storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the routing protocol policy includes determining that the first aggregate-aware route address has a route preference flag, the route preference flag indicating that an aggregate route is to serve as a proxy for the first aggregate-aware route.
23. The storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising determining a second aggregate-aware route that includes the prefix of the aggregate route address of the first service provider and a prefix length of a second aggregate route address of a second service provider.
24. The storage medium of claim 23 , wherein determining the second aggregate-aware route includes applying a routing protocol policy.
25. The storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the first aggregate-aware route further includes at least two autonomous system identifiers from a multi-homing zone.
26. The storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the first aggregate-aware route further includes a multi-homing zone diameter.