Method and system for optimizing routing of data packets

• US 6,130,890 A
• Filed: 09/11/1998
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Impact Incorporated (Liberty Latin America Ltd.)
• Inventors: Leinwand, Allan Steven, Hahne, Bruce Mathieu, Stewart, John Nicol, Pinsky, Bruce Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/151,935
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/392, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/412, 370/410, 370/351, 340/826
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function

Abstract

A method and system for determining a route for a packet traveling over at least one system from a source to a destination is disclosed. A first geographic area corresponds to the source and a second geographic area corresponds to the destination. The destination further has an address which does not indicate the second geographic area. In this aspect, the method and system include associating an address for the destination with the second geographic area to allow selection of the route for the data packet based on the second geographic area and selecting the route based on a second geographic area. In a second aspect, the method and system include providing a direct link having a controllable amount of traffic and selecting the direct link as at least a portion of the route when a data packet to the destination is to be routed. The method and system also facilitate selection of a route for a data packet. In this aspect, the method and system include obtaining information relating to an autonomous system. The autonomous system has a geographic area. The information includes the geographic area. In this aspect, the method and system also include associating the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route based on the geographic area.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a route for a data packet from a source to a destination, a first geographic are corresponding to the source and a second geographic area corresponding to the destination, the destination having an address not indicating the second geographic area, the source being associated with a first autonomous system corresponding to the first geographic area, the destination being associated with a second autonomous system corresponding to the second geographic area, the first geographic area including a first country and the second geographic area including a second country, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) associating the address for the destination with the second geographic area to allow selection of the route for the data packet based on the second geographic area, the associated step (a) further including the steps of

(a1) associating the second autonomous system with the second geographic area to allow selection of the route based on the second geographic area;

(a2) associating the second autonomous system with the second country to allow selection of the route based on the second country;

(a3) accessing an external database including a designation of the second autonomous system an indication of the second country; and

(a4) using the designation of the second autonomous system and the indication of the second country to associate the second autonomous system with the second country to allow selection of the route for the data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system based on the second country; and

(b) selecting the route based on a second geographic area.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting step (b) further includes the steps of:

(b1) setting a preference to select the route to include a first link directly from the first autonomous system to a third autonomous system in the second country if the first link is available or setting the preference to select the route to include a second link directly from the first autonomous system to a fourth autonomous system in a third country if the first link is not available; and

(b2) selecting th route based on the preference.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second autonomous system is the same as the third autonomous system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first country is different from the second country.

5. A method for facilitating selection of a route for a data packet, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining information relating to an autonomous system, the autonomous system having a geographic area, the information including the geographic area, wherein obtaining step (a) further includes the steps of

(a1) accessing an external database including information relating to the autonomous system, the information including a designation of the autonomous system and an indication of the geographic area, the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area being in a form which is not usable for selecting a route for a data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system;

(a2) scanning the information to find the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area; and

(b) associating the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route based on the geographic area, wherein associating step (b) further includes the step of

(b1) using the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area to associate the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route for the data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system using the geographic area.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the designation of the autonomous system further includes an autonomous system number and the indication of the geographic area further includes a country code.

7. A computer-readable medium containing a program for selecting a route for a data packet from a source to a destination, the wherein a first geographic area corresponds to the source and a second geographic area corresponds to the destination, the destination having an address not indicating the second geographic area corresponding to the destination, the source being associated with a first autonomous system corresponding to the first geographic area, the destination being associated with a second autonomous system corresponding to the second geographic area, the first geographic area including a first country and the second geographic area including a second country, the program including instructions for:

(a) associating the address for the destination with the second geographic area to allow selection of the route for the data packet based on the second geographic area, the associated step (a) further including the steps of

(a1) associating the second autonomous system with the second geographic area to allow selection of the route based on the second geographic area;

(a2) associating the second autonomous system with the second country to allow selection of the route based on the second country;

(a3) accessing an external database including a designation of the second autonomous system an indication of the second country; and

(a4) using the designation of the second autonomous system and the indication of the second country to associate the second autonomous system with the second country to allow selection of the route for the data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system based on the second country; and

(b) selecting the route based on a second geographic area.

8. A computer-readable medium containing a program for facilitating selection of a route for a data packet, the program including instructions for:

(a) obtaining information relating to an autonomous system, the autonomous system having a geographic area, the information including the geographic area, wherein obtaining step (a) further includes the steps of

(a1) accessing an external database including information relating to the autonomous system, the information including a designation of the autonomous system and an indication of the geographic area, the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area being in a form which is not usable for selecting a route for a data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system;

(a2) scanning the information to find the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area; and

(b) associating the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route based on the geographic area, wherein associating step (b) further includes the step of

(b1) using the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area to associate the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route for the data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system using the geographic area.

9. A system for facilitating selection of a route for a data packet, the system comprising:

means for obtaining information relating to an autonomous system, the autonomous system having a geographic area, the information including the geographic area, wherein the obtaining means further include

means for accessing an external database including information relating to the autonomous system, the information including a designation of the autonomous system and an indication of the geographic area, the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area being in a form which is not usable for selecting a route for a data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system;

means for scanning the information to find the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area; and

means for associating the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route based on the geographic area, wherein the associating means further includes

means for using the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area to associate the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route for the data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system using the geographic area.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the obtaining means further includes:

means for accessing an external database including information relating to the autonomous system, the information including a designation of the autonomous system and an indication of the geographic area, the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area being in a form which is not usable for selecting a route for a data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system;

means for scanning the information to find the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area; and

wherein the associating means further includes

means for using the designation of the autonomous system and the indication of the geographic area to associate the autonomous system with the geographic area to allow selection of the route for the data packet to be transmitted to the autonomous system using the geographic area.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the designation of the autonomous system further includes an autonomous system number and the indication of the geographic area.