Managing prefix lists at edge devices

A method comprising:

• detecting, at an edge device that comprises a processor, a traffic flow, wherein the traffic flow comprises a packet that specifies a destination address;
• measuring, by the edge device, a bandwidth associated with the traffic flow;
• identifying, by the edge device, a flow bandwidth threshold defined for the edge device, the flow bandwidth threshold comprising a percentage of a total bandwidth of the edge device;
• determining, by the edge device, if the bandwidth associated with the traffic flow exceeds the flow bandwidth threshold;
• if a determination is made that the bandwidth associated with the traffic flow exceeds the flow bandwidth threshold, including, by the edge device, the destination address in a prefix list stored at the edge device;
• if a determination is made that the bandwidth associated with the traffic flow does not exceed the flow bandwidth threshold, omitting, by the edge device, the destination address from the prefix list stored at the edge device;
• receiving, by the edge device, a further packet;
• identifying, by the edge device, a further destination address for the further packet;
• determining, by the edge device, if the further destination address is included in the prefix list;
• if a determination is made that the further destination address is included in the prefix list, routing, by the edge device, the further packet to a destination device associated with the further destination address;
• and
• if a determination is made that the further destination address is not included in the prefix list, routing, by the edge device, the further packet to a gateway device, wherein the gateway device is configured to route the further packet in accordance with routing information stored in a complete prefix list stored at the gateway device.

A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• detecting, at an edge device, a traffic flow, wherein the traffic flow comprises a packet that specifies a destination address;
• measuring a bandwidth associated with the traffic flow;
• identifying a flow bandwidth threshold defined for the edge device, the flow bandwidth threshold comprising a percentage of a total bandwidth of the edge device;
• determining if the bandwidth associated with the traffic flow exceeds the flow bandwidth threshold;
• if a determination is made that the bandwidth associated with the traffic flow exceeds the flow bandwidth threshold, including the destination address in a prefix list stored at the edge device;
• and
• if a determination is made that the bandwidth associated with the traffic flow does not exceed the flow bandwidth threshold, omitting the destination address from the prefix list stored at the edge device;
• receiving a further packet;
• identifying a further destination address for the further packet;
• determining if the further destination address is included in the prefix list;
• if a determination is made that the further destination address is included in the prefix list, routing the further packet to a destination device associated with the further destination address;
• and
• if a determination is made that the further destination address is not included in the prefix list, routing the further packet to a gateway device, wherein the gateway device is configured to route the further packet in accordance with routing information stored in a complete prefix list stored at the gateway device.