System and method for forwarding packets in a hierarchical network architecture using variable length addresses

A router for transmitting data packets from a source to a destination within a communications network, comprising:

• a non-transitory memory storage comprising instructions;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:
• receive a first data packet from the source located in a local sub-network of the network, the first data packet including a first network layer protocol header having a source address containing a local sub-network address of the source, a destination address of the destination, a first field indicating a length of the source address and a second field indicating a length of the destination address;
• transform the first network layer protocol header by modifying the source address and the first field indicating the length of the source address, the modifying including appending to the local sub-network address a prefix of the sub-network to make the source address an address of a higher level network;
• and
• forward the data packet, including a transformed local-sub-network address, toward the destination in the higher level network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for transmitting data packets from a source to a destination within a communications network, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving a data packet from the source located in a local sub-network of the network, the data packet including a first network layer protocol header having a source address containing a local sub-network address of the source, a destination address of the destination, a first field indicating a length of the source address and a second field indicating a length of the destination address;
• transforming the first network later protocol header by modifying the source address and the first field indicating the length of the source address, the modifying including appending to the local sub-network address a prefix of the sub-network to make the source address an address of a higher level network;
• and
• forwarding the data packet, including a transformed local-sub-network address, toward the destination in the higher level network.