Scalable multiprotocol label switching (mpls) based networks

An area border router comprising:

• an open shortest path first engine to determine an open shortest path first metric representing a cost associated with transporting data between a provider edge router and the area border router within a non-zero open shortest path first area of a hierarchical open shortest path first network;
• and
• a border gateway protocol engine to:
• modify a border gateway protocol message received from the provider edge router by replacing a first multiprotocol label switching label included in the border gateway protocol message with a second multiprotocol label switching label associated with the provider edge router and assigned by the area border router, replacing a next-hop attribute included in the border gateway protocol message with a value representing a loopback address of the area border router, and updating a route cost attribute included in the border gateway protocol message to include the open shortest path first metric;
• and
• re-advertise the modified border gateway protocol message into an open shortest path first area 0 of the hierarchical open shortest path first network.

A tangible article of manufacture storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

• determine at an area border router an open shortest path first metric representing a cost associated with transporting data between a provider edge router and the area border router within a non-zero open shortest path first area of a hierarchical open shortest path first network;
• replace at the area border router a first multiprotocol label switching label included in a border gateway protocol message received from the provider edge router with a second multiprotocol label switching label associated with the provider edge router and assigned by the area border router;
• replace at the area border router a next-hop attribute included in the border gateway protocol message with a value representing a loopback address of the area border router;
• update at the area border router a route cost attribute included in the border gateway protocol message to include the open shortest path first metric;
• and
• re-advertise from the area border router the modified border gateway protocol message into an open shortest path first area 0 of the hierarchical open shortest path first network.