Dynamic packet routing

A next hop determiner for routing packets in a network comprising Autonomous Systems (ASs), comprising:

• at least one packet input port to receive packets, each packet having an address indicating a destination;
• at least one packet output port configured to transmit packets on a non-peering connection to an AS;
• a routing input port to receive route indicators, each said route indicator comprising:
• an indicator of a network prefix;
• and
• an indicator of an AS path for delivering packets to an AS having the network prefix;
• a comparator to compare a predetermined AS identifier to each said AS path indicator of said received route indicators, to identify at least one said route indicator having an AS path indicator comprising the predetermined AS identifier;
• and
• a memory configured to store the network prefix indicators of said at least one identified route indicator;
• and
• a director configured to, if the destination address of said packet is within an address range defined by said stored network prefix indicator, route the packet to said output port for transmission on said non-peering connection to the AS having the predetermined AS identifier.

A next hop determiner for routing packets in a network comprising Autonomous Systems (ASs), comprising:

• at least one packet input port to receive packets, each packet having an address indicating a destination;
• at least one packet output port configured to transmit packets on a non-peering connection to an AS;
• a routing input port to receive modified route indicators, each said modified route indicator comprising:
• an indicator of a network prefix;
• and
• a next hop address on an AS having the network prefix;
• a memory configured to store the network prefix indicator and next hop address of said modified route indicators;
• and
• a director configured to, if the destination address of said packet is within an address range defined by said stored network prefix indicator, route the packet to said output port for transmission on said non-peering connection to the next hop address.

A route indicator feeder for providing modified route indicators, comprising:

• an input port to receive route indicators, each said route indicator comprising:
• an indicator of a network prefix;
• and
• an indicator of an AS path for delivering packets to an AS having the network prefix;
• a comparator to compare a predetermined AS identifier to each said AS path indicator, to identify said route indicator having an AS path indicator comprising the predetermined AS identifier;
• a route indicator modifier to, in response to said identification by the comparator, change the identified route indicator to indicate an address on the AS having the predetermined AS identifier;
• and
• an output port to transmit the modified route indicator.

A system for routing packets in a network comprising Autonomous Systems (ASs), the system comprising:

• means for obtaining route indicators each comprising:
• an indicator of a network prefix;
• and
• an indicator of an AS path for delivering packets to an AS having the network prefix;
• means for identifying at least one said route indicator having an AS path comprising a predetermined AS identifier;
• means for storing the network prefix of each said at least one identified route indicator;
• means for receiving at least one packet, said packet having an address indicating a destination;
• and
• means for, if the destination address is within said stored prefix, transmitting the packet on a non-peering connection to the AS having the predetermined AS identifier.