REVERSE PATH FORWARDING ROUTER SYSTEM

• US 20140355607A1
• Filed: 05/30/2013
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seaman-Kossmeyer, Clayton, Ciccarone, Dario Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 9,154,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/72 Routing based on the source address

Abstract

An apparatus configured to route packets over networks may be configured to determine whether a packet is valid prior to routing a received packet. The apparatus may receive the packet on one of a plurality of interfaces. The apparatus may identify the interface on which the packet is received and also a source of the packet. Additionally, the apparatus may access a bundle of acceptable interfaces on which a packet from the source may be received. The number of acceptable interfaces may be greater than a single interface, but less that all of the interfaces of the apparatus configured to receive packets from over the networks. If the interface on which the packet is received is an acceptable interface identified by the bundle, then the packet is valid and routed to a next location. Otherwise, the packet is determined to be invalid and dropped.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a routing device comprising;

a plurality of interfaces configured to receive packets from over one or more networks; and

a validity module executable by a processor, the validity module configured to;

identify an interface of the plurality of interfaces on which a packet is received;

identify a source of the packet; and

determine whether the packet is valid based on a comparison of the interface on which the packet is received with a bundle associated with the source, the bundle identifying a plurality of acceptable interfaces for receipt of the packet, wherein a number of the plurality of acceptable interfaces is less than all of the plurality of interfaces.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the validity module is configured to:

determine that the packet is valid in response to the interface matching one of the plurality of acceptable interfaces identified in the bundle; and

determine that the packet is invalid in response to the interface not matching any of the plurality of acceptable interfaces identified in the bundle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the routing device further comprises:

a forwarding module executable by the processor, wherein the forwarding module is configured to;

forward the packet on one of the plurality of interfaces over one of the one or more networks in response to determination by the validity module that the packet is valid; and

drop the packet without forwarding the packet in response to determination by the validity module that the packet is invalid.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the routing device further comprises:

a memory comprising a bundle database that stores bundle information identifying the bundle;

wherein the validity module is configured to access the bundle information stored in the bundle database to compare the interface on which the packet is received with the bundle and determine whether the packet is valid.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the routing device further comprises:

a user interface configured to receive further bundle information, and

wherein the validity module is further configured to update the bundle information stored in the bundle database with the further bundle information.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the further bundle information identifies a time at which to update the bundle information stored in the bundle database.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the memory further comprises a forwarding database that stores forwarding information comprising at least one of a forward information base or a routing information base,

wherein the validity module is configured to access the bundle information without access of the forwarding information to determine whether the packet is valid.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, on an interface of a plurality of interfaces of a routing device, a routable packet from over a network;

identifying, with a processor of the routing device, the interface and a source of the packet;

comparing, with the processor, the interface on which the packet is received with a bundle associated with the source, the bundle comprising a plurality of acceptable interfaces for receipt of the packet, wherein a number of the plurality of acceptable interfaces is less than all of the plurality of interfaces of the routing device; and

determining, with the processor, whether the packet is a valid packet to be routed based on comparing the interface on which the packet is received with the bundle of acceptable interfaces.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the packet is valid comprises:

determining, with the processor, that the packet is valid in response to the interface on which the packet is received matching one of the plurality of acceptable interfaces; and

determining, with the processor, that the packet is invalid in response to the interface on which the packet is received not matching any of the plurality of acceptable interfaces.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

forwarding, with the processor, the packet on one of the plurality of interfaces over one or more networks in response to the packet being valid; and

dropping, with the processor, the packet in response to the packet being invalid.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing, with a bundle database of a memory, bundle information identifying the bundle; and

accessing, with the processor, the bundle information stored in the bundle database.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, with a user interface of the routing device, further bundle information, and

modifying, with the processor, the bundle information stored in the bundle database with the further bundle information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the further bundle information identifies a time at which to update the bundle information stored in the memory.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing, with a forwarding database of the memory, forwarding information comprising at least one of a forward information base or a routing information base.

15. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions comprising:

instructions executable to identify an interface of a plurality of interfaces of a routing device on which a packet is received from over a network;

instructions executable to identify a source of the packet;

instructions executable to identify a bundle associated with the source, the bundle identifying a plurality of acceptable interfaces for receipt of the packet, wherein a number of the plurality of acceptable interfaces is less than a total number of the plurality of interfaces of the routing device configured to receive packets;

instructions executable to compare the interface on which the packet is received with the plurality of acceptable interfaces identified in the bundle; and

instructions executable to determine whether the packet is valid based on the comparison.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions executable to determine whether the packet is valid comprises:

instructions executable to determine that the packet is valid in response to the interface matching one of the plurality of acceptable interfaces identified in the bundle; and

instructions executable to determine that the packet is invalid in response to the interface not matching any of the plurality of acceptable interfaces identified in the bundle.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprises:

instructions executable to forward the packet on one of the plurality of interfaces over a network in response to the packet being valid; and

instructions executable to drop the packet without forwarding the packet in response the packet being invalid.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprises:

instructions executable to store, in a bundle database of a memory, bundle information identifying the bundle.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprises:

instructions executable to receive further bundle information, the further bundle information generated based on a user input, and

instructions executable to update the bundle information stored in the bundle database with the further bundle information.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprises:

instructions executable to store, in a forwarding database of the memory, forwarding information comprising at least one of a forward information base or a routing information base.