Private network access point router for interconnecting among internet route providers

• US 6,009,081 A
• Filed: 09/03/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Internap Corporation
• Original Assignee: Internap Network Services Corporation
• Inventors: Ronen, Ophir, Wheeler, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YAO, KWANG BIN
• Application Number:
  US08/922,954
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 370/248, 370/252, 370/253, 370/254, 370/255, 370/351, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/403, 370/404, 370/405, 395/200.5, 395/200.51, 395/200.52, 395/200.53, 395/200.68, 395/200.69, 395/200.7, 395/200.71, 395/200.72, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/223, 709/238, 709/239, 709/240, 709/241, 709/242
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for interconnecting P-NAP customers with P-NAP providers and symmetrically routing packets between a P-NAP customer and a destination within a P-NAP provider'"'"'s backbone across the P-NAP and that provider'"'"'s backbone or symmetrically routing packets between a P-NAP customer and a destination not currently within a P-NAP provider'"'"'s backbone across the P-NAP and a pre-defined P-NAP provider'"'"'s backbone known as the default backbone. The method comprises creating a list of all P-NAP provider AS numbers and a list of all AS numbers which peer at public NAPs but which are not associated with P-NAP providers. For each P-NAP provider, take the union of all provider AS numbers and AS numbers associated with public NAPs and subtracting out AS numbers associated with the current provider. Deny that resulting list of AS numbers on routes as they are received from the current provider to approximate the routes which are deemed to be destined within the current provider'"'"'s network by tagging these routes with the primary local preference value. For all routes which were denied, attach the secondary local preference value. Set P-NAP provider local preferences causing the P-NAP provider to select direct routing from the P-NAP provider to the P-NAP. Make changes to AS path lengths of routes advertised by the P-NAP to each P-NAP provider to cause providers not directly connected to the P-NAP to use the same preselected P-NAP provider as the P-NAP uses to send to the providers.

Claims

1. A method for symmetrically routing packets among a P-NAP and at least two providers, said providers having customers, comprising the steps of:

a) creating router configuration files which use local preferences, causing the P-NAP to route to the P-NAP provider'"'"'s customers over that provider'"'"'s network, causing the P-NAP to route over a preselected provider'"'"'s network to customers not connected to a P-NAP provider or customer of provider'"'"'s connected to more than three P-NAP providers and using P-NAP path length to cause customers of providers not connected to the P-NAP to route over a preselected P-NAP provider;

b) setting the P-NAP provider local preferences for causing the P-NAP provider to select direct routing to the P-NAP;

c) applying configuration files to a router;

d) causing the router to obtain routes from the P-NAP provider; and

e) causing the router to apply said router configuration files to said routes.

2. A method for symmetrically routing TCP/IP packets between a P-NAP and any destination on the Internet such that if the destination is part of any P-NAP provider, the forward and reverse path of the packets will be across said provider and in all other cases the forward and reverse path will be across a pre-determined provider, said providers having customers, comprising the steps of:

a) creating router configuration files which use local preferences causing the P-NAP to route to the P-NAP provider'"'"'s customers over that provider'"'"'s network, causing the P-NAP to route over a preselected provider'"'"'s network to customers not connected to a P-NAP provider or customer of provider'"'"'s connected to more than three P-NAP providers and using P-NAP path length to cause customers of providers not connected to the P-NAP to route over a preselected P-NAP provider;

b) setting the P-NAP provider local preferences for causing the P-NAP provider to select direct routing to the P-NAP;

c) applying configuration files to a router;

d) causing the router to obtain routes from the P-NAP provider; and

e) causing the router to apply said router configuration files to said routes.

3. A method for ensuring that the routing of TCP/IP packets between a P-NAP and any destination on the Internet happens symmetrically across the destination'"'"'s provider when the P-NAP is connected to said provider and in all other cases across a pre-determined provider, said providers having customers, comprising the steps of:

a) creating router configuration files which use local preferences, causing the P-NAP to route to the P-NAP provider'"'"'s customers over that provider'"'"'s network, causing the P-NAP to route over a preselected provider'"'"'s network to customers not connected to a P-NAP provider or customer of provider'"'"'s connected to more than three P-NAP providers using P-NAP path length to cause customers of providers not connected to the P-NAP to route over a preselected P-NAP provider;

b) setting the P-NAP provider local preferences for causing the P-NAP provider to select direct routing to the P-NAP;

c) applying configuration files to a router;

d) causing the router to obtain routes from the P-NAP provider; and

e) causing the router to apply said router configuration files to said routes.

4. A method for ensuring that the routing of TCP/IP packets between a P-NAP and any destination on the Internet happens symmetrically across the destination'"'"'s Provider when the P-NAP is connected to Provider and in all other cases across a pre-determined Provider, said providers having customers, comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a LOCAL_-- PREF value for provider default routing such that for those destinations not connected to a P-NAP provider, the most preferred provider is used, if that provider is unavailable, the next most preferred provider is used and so on, until all providers have been exhausted;

b) creating router configuration files which use local preferences, causing the P-NAP to route to the P-NAP provider'"'"'s customers over that provider'"'"'s network, causing the P-NAP to route over a preselected provider'"'"'s network to customers not connected to a P-NAP provider or customer of provider'"'"'s connected to more than three P-NAP providers, and using P-NAP path length to cause customers of providers not connected to the P-NAP to route over a preselected P-NAP provider;

c) setting the P-NAP provider local preferences for causing the P-NAP provider to select direct routing to the P-NAP;

d) applying configuration files to a router;

e) causing the router to obtain routes from the P-NAP provider; and

f) causing the router to apply said router configuration files to said routes.