Linking autonomous systems with dual premise routing domains

• US 20040208175A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: McCabe, Alan J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system for linking a first autonomous network system to at least one second autonomous network system. The first autonomous network system having a first private IP address space and the at least one second autonomous network system having at least one second private IP address space. The first private IP address space and the at least one second private IP address space are at least partially overlapping. The system includes a first routing domain including the first autonomous network system and at least one second routing domain including the at least one second autonomous network system. A geographically diverse linking autonomous system couples the first autonomous network system and the at least one second autonomous network system. The linking autonomous system includes a first routing domain management system configured to manage the first routing domain, and at least one second routing domain management system configured to manage the at least one second routing domain.

Claims

1. A system for linking a first autonomous network system and at least one second autonomous network system, the first autonomous network system having a first private IP address space and the at least one second autonomous network system having at least one second private IP address space, the first private IP address space and the at least one second private IP address space at least partially overlapping, the system comprising:

a first routing domain including the first autonomous network system;

at least one second routing domain including the at least one second autonomous network system; and

a geographically diverse linking autonomous system coupling the first autonomous network system and the at least one second autonomous network system, the linking autonomous system includes a first routing domain management system configured to manage the first routing domain and at least one second routing domain management system configured to manage the at least one second routing domain.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first autonomous network system includes a plurality of first private networks, each of the plurality of first private networks having a different private IP address space.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second autonomous network system includes a plurality of second private networks, each of the plurality of private networks having a different private IP address space.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second autonomous network system includes a plurality of autonomous network systems.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of autonomous network systems includes a plurality of private networks, each of the plurality of private networks having a different private IP address space.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographically diverse linking autonomous system further comprises a first multiple-domain Network-Operations-Center (NOC) disposed at a first site, the first multiple-domain NOC being configured to support the first routing domain and the at least one second routing domain from the first site.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first multiple-domain NOC including a first-site first-domain management system coupled to the first autonomous network system, and at least one first-site second-domain management system coupled to the at least one second autonomous network system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one first-site second-domain management system includes a plurality of domain management systems, each of the plurality of domain management systems being configured to manage one of the plurality of autonomous network systems.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one second routing domain includes a plurality of routing domains, each of the plurality of routing domains corresponding to one of the plurality of autonomous network systems.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the geographically diverse linking autonomous system further comprises:

at least one second multiple-domain Network-Operations-Center (NOC) disposed in at least one second site geographically diverse from the first site, the at least one second multiple domain NOC being configured to support the first routing domain and the at least one second routing domain from the at least one second site; and

a transit network coupling the first multiple domain NOC to the at least one second multiple-domain NOC.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one second autonomous network system includes a plurality of autonomous network systems.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one second multiple domain NOC includes a second-site first-domain management system coupled to the first autonomous network system, and at least one second-site second-domain management system coupled to the at least one second autonomous network system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one second autonomous network system includes a plurality of autonomous network systems and the at least one first-site second-domain management system includes a plurality of first-site second domain management systems, each of the plurality of first-site second domain management systems servicing one of the plurality of autonomous network systems.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one second-site second-domain management system includes a plurality of second-site domain management systems, each of the plurality of second-site domain management systems servicing one of the plurality of autonomous network systems.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one second multiple-domain NOC includes a plurality of NOCs, each of the plurality of NOCs being disposed at a diverse geographical location.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of NOCs includes N domain management systems, N being an integer, each of the N domain management systems being configured to service one autonomous network system.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the transit network includes private IP address space.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the first multiple domain NOC, the at least one second multiple domain NOC, and the transit network include at least one router configured as an internal Border Gateway Protocol (iBGP) speaker, each of the at least one routers being meshed to form the autonomous network system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein iBGP speakers in the first multiple domain NOC and iBGP speakers in the at least one second multiple domain NOC are established in a iBGP peering relationship.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the iBGP speakers are configured to employ Local-Preference attributes.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the iBGP speakers are configured to employ Multi-Exit Discriminators.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the first multiple domain NOC is coupled to the at least one second multiple domain NOC by at least one interface tunnel.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one interface tunnel is IPsec encrypted.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one interface tunnel is characterized by a public IP address.

25. A method for linking a first autonomous network system and at least one second autonomous network system, the at least one first autonomous network system having a first private IP address space and the at least one second autonomous network system having a second private IP address space, the first private IP address space and the second private IP address space at least partially overlapping, the method comprising:

implementing a first routing domain including the first autonomous network system;

implementing at least one second routing domain including the at least one second autonomous network system; and

providing a geographically diverse linking autonomous system coupled to the first autonomous network system and the at least one second autonomous network system, the linking autonomous system includes a first routing domain management system configured to manage the first routing domain and at least one second routing domain management system configured to manage the at least one second routing domain.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first autonomous network system includes a plurality of first private networks, each of the plurality of first private networks having a different private IP address space.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one second autonomous network system includes a plurality of second private networks, each of the plurality of private networks having a different private IP address space.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one second autonomous network system includes a plurality of autonomous network systems.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of autonomous network systems includes a plurality of private networks, each of the plurality of private networks having a different private IP address space.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of providing includes:

coupling a first multiple-domain NOC to the first autonomous network system and the at least one second autonomous network system, the first multiple-domain NOC being configured to support the first routing domain and the at least one second routing domain from the first site, whereby the first multiple-domain is disposed at a first site;

coupling at least one second multiple domain NOC to the first autonomous network system and the at least one second autonomous network system, the at least one second multiple domain NOC being configured to support the first routing domain and the at least one second routing domain, whereby the at least one second multiple-domain NOC is disposed in at least one second site geographically diverse from the first site; and

providing a transit network coupling the first multiple domain NOC and the at least one second multiple domain NOC.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of providing further comprises:

equipping each of the first multiple-domain NOC, the at least one second multiple-domain NOC, and the transit network with at least one router; and

configuring each of the at least one routers as an internal Border Gateway Protocol (iBGP) speaker, whereby the at least one routers are meshed to form the autonomous network system.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein iBGP speakers in the first multiple domain NOC and iBGP speakers in the at least one second multiple domain NOC are established in a iBGP peering relationship.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the iBGP speakers are configured to employ Local-Preference features.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the iBGP speakers are configured to employ Multi-Exit Discriminators.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of providing includes the step of coupling the first multiple domain NOC to the at least one second multiple domain NOC by at least one interface tunnel.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one interface tunnel is IPsec encrypted.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one interface tunnel is characterized by a public IP address.

38. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of exchanging first data between the first multiple domain NOC, and at least one of the first autonomous network system and the at least one second autonomous network system;

and

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of exchanging first data is performed via a first direct routing path that does not include the transit network.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of exchanging first data further comprises the steps of:

detecting a fault condition in the first direct routing path;

coupling the first multiple domain NOC to the at least one second multiple domain NOC with an interface tunnel traversing the transit network; and

exchanging first site data via the interface tunnel.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the interface tunnel is IPsec encrypted.

42. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of exchanging second data between the at least one second multiple domain NOC, and at least one of the first autonomous network system and the at least one second autonomous network system.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of exchanging second site data is performed via a second direct routing path that does not include the transit network.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of exchanging second site data further comprises the steps of:

detecting a fault condition in the second direct routing path;

coupling the at least one second multiple domain NOC to the first multiple domain NOC with an interface tunnel traversing the transit network; and

exchanging second site data via the interface tunnel.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the interface tunnel is IPsec encrypted.

46. A method for linking a first autonomous network system having a first private IP address space and a second autonomous network system having a second private IP address space, the method comprising:

providing a system for linking the first autonomous network system with the second autonomous network system, the system including a first multiple domain management system disposed at a first location, a transit network coupled to the first multiple domain network management system, and a second multiple domain management system coupled to the transit network, the second multiple domain management system being disposed at a second location;

transmitting a packet from the first autonomous network system to the first multiple domain management system, the packet including a customer data payload portion and a header portion, the header portion including destination data corresponding to the second autonomous network system;

encapsulating the packet in a tunnel packet, the tunnel packet including a public first multiple domain management system source address and a public second multiple domain management system destination address; and

transmitting the tunnel packet across the transit network.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising the steps of:

removing the tunnel packet at the second multiple domain management system; and

transmitting the packet from the second multiple domain management system to the second autonomous network system.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the tunnel packet is IPsec encrypted.

49. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a packet structure for use in telecommunications network management system for linking autonomous network systems having a private IP address space, the packet structure comprising:

a tunnel packet field containing public IP address data corresponding to a public first network management system source address and a public second network management system destination address;

a second header field encapsulated within the first header field, the second header field containing an source client address data, autonomous network source address, a first network management system address, an autonomous network system destination address data, and destination client address data; and

a customer data payload field.