System, method and program for re-routing Internet packets

A system for redirecting to a first site, packets addressed to a second site after failure of said second site, said first site comprising a first ISP, a first server and a first router interposed between said first ISP and said first server, said second site comprising a second ISP, a second server and a second router interposed between said second ISP and said second server, said system comprising:

• means, within said first router, for broadcasting announcements of an IP address of said second server while said second server is operating;
• means, within said second router, for broadcasting announcements of said IP address while said second server is operating, said announcements of said IP address broadcast by said first router indicating said first router as a less preferred route to said IP address than said announcements of said IP address by said second router indicating said second router as a route to said IP address, such that during operation of said second server, packets addressed to said IP address are routed to said second server via said second ISP and said second router;
• and
• means, responsive to said second site failing, for said second router ceasing to broadcast announcements of said IP address while said first router continuing to broadcast announcements of said IP address, such that subsequent packets addressed to said IP address are routed to said first server via said first ISP and said first router, bypassing said second ISP.

A computer program product for redirecting to a first site, packets addressed to a second site after failure of said second site, said first site comprising a first ISP, a first server and a first router interposed between said first ISP and said first server, said second site comprising a second ISP, a second server and a second router interposed between said second ISP and said second server, said program product comprising:

• a computer readable media;
• first program instructions, for execution within said first router, to broadcast announcements of an IP address of said second server while said second server is operating;
• second program instructions, for execution within said second router, to broadcast announcements of said IP address while said second server is operating, wherein said announcements of said IP address broadcast by said first router indicate said first router as a less preferred route to said IP address than said announcements of said IP address by said second router indicate said second router as a route to said IP address, such that during operation of said second server, packets addressed to said IP address are routed to said second server via said second ISP and said second router;
• and
• third program instructions, responsive to said second site failing, to cause said second router to cease broadcasting announcements of said IP address while said first router continues to broadcast announcements of said IP address, such that subsequent packets addressed to said IP address are routed to said first server via said first ISP and said first router, bypassing said second ISP;
• and wherein
• said first, second and third program instructions are stored on said media in functional form.

A system for redirecting to a first server, packets addressed to a second server after failure of said second server, said system comprising:

• a first ISP, said first ISP having a BGP filter configured, before failure of said second server, to accept an IP address of said second server;
• a first router interposed between said first ISP and said first server, said first router having a BGP filter configured, before failure of said second server, to accept said IP address, said first router configured not to broadcast announcements of said IP address while said second server is operating;
• a second ISP, said second ISP having a BGP filter configured, during operation of said second server, to accept said IP address;
• a second router interposed between said second ISP and said second server, said second router having a BGP filter configured, during operation of said second server, to accept said IP address, said second router configured to broadcast announcements of said IP address while said second server is operating, such that while said second server is operating, packets addressed to said IP address are routed to said second server via said second ISP and said second router, bypassing said first ISP;
• subsequently, said second site failing, and said second router reconfigured to cease broadcasting announcements of said IP address and said first router reconfigured to broadcast announcements of said IP address, such that subsequent packets addressed to said IP address are routed to said first server via said first ISP and said first router, bypassing said second ISP.