Methods, Systems, and Computer Program Products for Routing Based on a Path-Based Protocol Address

1 . A method for routing based on a path-based protocol address, the method comprising:

detecting, by a current node in a current location in a network path, data in a data unit that is specified according to a network protocol and that includes a first path-based protocol address including a plurality of path segment identifiers that identify respective path segments of a network path for transmitting data from a source node to a destination node;

detecting, based on the current location, a current-next path segment identifier that identifies a current-next path segment in the plurality for transmitting the data from the current node to a next node in the network path;

determining, based on the current-next path segment identifier, a current-next network interface that is included in the current-next path segment; and

sending, via the current-next network interface, the data to the next node,

wherein performing at least one element identified as comprising the method includes execution of an instruction by a processor.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the data includes receiving the data in a data unit sent by a previous node based on a previous-current path segment identifier that, in the plurality, identifies the current node with respect to the previous node.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the current-next path segment identifier includes:

detecting, in a data unit, address separating information specified according to the network protocol;

updating the address separating information to identify, by the next node, at least one of a next previous-current path segment identifier and a next current-next path segment identifier in the first path-based protocol address.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the current-next path segment identifier includes:

detecting, in a data unit, address separating information specified according to the network protocol;

updating the address separating information to identify, by the current node, at least one of the previous-current path segment identifier and the current-next path segment identifier in the first path-based protocol address.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first path-base protocol address identifies the destination node for receiving the data from the source node, via the current node and the next node, according to the network protocol.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the first path-base protocol address includes the plurality in an identified first order; and the plurality is included, in an identified second order, in a second protocol address for transmitting data from the destination node to the source node in one or more data units of the network protocol.

7 . The method of claim 5 wherein the first path-base protocol address is a scope-specific protocol address that, in a source scope-specific address space specific to a first region of the network that includes the source node, identifies the destination node included in the network outside the first region.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the current-next path segment identifier includes a local scoped address that identifies the next node in a region of the network that includes both the next network interface of the current node a network interface of the next node for receiving the data.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the current-next path segment identifier includes a nested protocol address that includes a protocol address that identifies a node in a network path for transmitting the data from the current node to the next node.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the current-next path segment identifier includes a scope-specific protocol address that, in a current scope-specific address space specific to a current region of the network that includes the current node, identifies the next node that is outside the current region.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first path-base protocol address is a nested protocol address that includes a protocol address that identifies a node in the network path other than the source node and the destination node.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the current-next path segment identifier includes a next hop identifier that identifies a next pair of consecutive nodes in a network path from the current node to the next node for transmitting the data to the next node.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the next hop identifier includes at least one of a next interface identifier that identifies the network interface and next-current interface identifier that identifies a next-current network interface in the next node for receiving the data.

14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the next hop identifier is the smallest identifier available, according to a size criterion, in an identifier space for at least one of the current node and the next node.

15 . The method of claim 12 wherein the first hop identifier is assigned to identify the next hop in response to a negotiation including the nodes in the next hop.

16 . The method of claim 1 wherein a current location in a metric space includes a representation of the current node in a network topology based on the network protocol and the current-next path segment identifier identifies a next location that includes a representation of the next node in the network topology relative to the current location.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the current-next address identifies a route that represents the next network path in the metric space from the current node to the next node.

18 . The method of claim 1 wherein sending the data includes storing a next address separation indicator in a next data unit to distinguish the current-next path segment identifier from a next-next path segment identifier that identifies a next-next node that follows the next node in a network path to the destination node.

19 . A system for routing based on a path-based protocol address, the system comprising:

an in-data handler component that during operation of the system is included in detecting, by a current node in a current location in a network path, data in a data unit that is specified according to a network protocol and that includes a first path-based protocol address including a plurality of path segment identifiers that identify respective path segments of a network path for transmitting data from a source node to a destination node;

a routing component that during operation of the system is included in detecting, based on the current location, a current-next path segment identifier that identifies a current-next path segment in the plurality for transmitting the data from the current node to a next node in the network path;

a forwarding component that during operation of the system is included in determining, based on the current-next path segment identifier, a current-next network interface that is included in the current-next path segment; and; and

an out-data handler component that during operation of the system is included in sending, via the current-next network interface, the data to the next node; and

a processor, wherein at least one of the in-data handler component, the routing component, the forwarding component, and the out-data handler component includes an instruction that is executed by the processor during operation of the system.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a computer program, executable by a machine, for routing based on a path-based protocol address, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

detecting, by a current node in a current location in a network path, data in a data unit that is specified according to a network protocol and that includes a first path-based protocol address including a plurality of path segment identifiers that identify respective path segments of a network path for transmitting data from a source node to a destination node;

detecting, based on the current location, a current-next path segment identifier that identifies a current-next path segment in the plurality for transmitting the data from the current node to a next node in the network path;

determining, based on the current-next path segment identifier, a current-next network interface that is included in the current-next path segment; and; and

sending, via the current-next network interface, the data to the next node.