Method to scale hierarchical route reflectors using automated outbound route filtering-list mechanism

1. A method of scaling hierarchical route reflectors (RRs) using automated Outbound Route Filtering (ORF) comprising:

identifying, by a first RR, other RRs configured as RR clients within a route reflector hierarchy wherein identifying by the first RR, other RRs configured as RR clients within the route reflector hierarchy comprises:

identifying, of a set of peer devices, a set of RR devices and a set of non-RR devices, and

identifying, of the set of peer devices, a set of client devices and a set of non-client devices,

identifying the RR clients as belonging to both the set of RR devices and the set of client devices;

building, by said first RR, a common set of route target filters received from said client RRs wherein building, by said first RR, the common set of route target filters received from said client RRs comprises:

receiving, from each RR client, a filter list that includes routing information for the RR client,

generating an intersection of similar target entries from the filter lists received from each RR client, the intersection of similar target entries including target entries common to all of the filter lists from the RR clients, and

using the intersection of similar target entries received from each RR client; and

sending, by said first RR, the common set of route target filters to said Client RRs wherein sending, by said first RR, the common set of route target filters to said client RRs comprises storing, by the first RR, the common set of route target filters as routing information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending further comprises limiting RR routing tables to a required set of routes within said first RR.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifying comprises sending an advertisement broadcasting itself as a RR.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifying further comprises identifying RRs in a lower level of the hierarchy than said first RR, and wherein said sending is done to said RR clients in a lower level of the hierarchy.

5. An apparatus providing scaling of hierarchical route reflectors (RRs) using automated Outbound Route Filtering (ORF) comprising:

a first route reflector (RR);

at least one client RR in communication with said first RR;

at least one Provider Edge (PE) router in communication with said at least one client RR, and wherein said first RR builds a common set of route target filters received from said at least one client RR, and wherein said first RR sends the common set of route target filters to said Client RRs;

wherein the first RR is configured to:

identify, of a set of peer devices, a set of RR devices and a set of non-RR devices, identify, of the set of peer devices, a set of client devices and a set of non-client devices, and identify the RR clients as belonging to both the set of RR devices and the set of client devices;

when building, by said first RR, the common set of route target filters received from said client RRs:

receive, from each RR client, a filter list that includes routing information for the RR client,

generate an intersection of similar target entries from the filter lists received from each RR client, the intersection of similar target entries including target entries common to all of the filter lists from the RR clients, and

using the intersection of similar target entries received from each RR client; and

when sending, by said first RR, the common set of route target filters to said client RRs, store, by the first RR, the common set of route target filters as routing information.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first RR limits RR routing tables to a required set of routes within said first RR.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first RR identifies itself by sending an advertisement broadcasting itself as a RR.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein RRs in a lower level of the hierarchy than said first RR are identified, and wherein said first RR sends said common set of route target filters to said Client RRs in a lower level of the hierarchy.

9. A network scaling hierarchical route reflectors (RRs) using automated Outbound Route Filtering (ORF) comprising:

a plurality of provider edge (PE) routers; and

a plurality of route reflectors, wherein each route reflector is in communication with each other route reflector and wherein a first router reflector of said plurality of router reflectors identifies other route reflectors of said plurality of route reflectors as route reflector clients within a route reflector hierarchy, wherein each route reflector client is in communication with at least one of said plurality of PE routers, wherein said first router reflector builds a common set of route target filters received from said route reflector clients, and wherein said first route reflector sends the common set of route target filters to said client route reflectors;

wherein said first route reflector builds a common set of route target filters comprises said first route reflector using an intersection of similar target entries received from each RR client, the intersection of similar target entries including target entries common to all of the filter lists from the RR clients.