Method to scale hierarchical route reflectors using automated outbound route filtering-list mechanism

An apparatus providing scaling of hierarchical route reflectors (RRs) using automated Outbound Route Filtering (ORF) comprising:

• a first route reflector (RR);
• at least one client RR in communication with said first RR;
• at least one Provider Edge (PE) router in communication with said at least one client RR, and wherein said first RR builds a common set of route target filters received from said at least one client RR, and wherein said first RR sends the common set of route target filters to said Client RRs;
• wherein the first RR is configured to:
• identify, of a set of peer devices, a set of RR devices and a set of non-RR devices, identify, of the set of peer devices, a set of client devices and a set of non-client devices, and identify the RR clients as belonging to both the set of RR devices and the set of client devices;
• when building, by said first RR, the common set of route target filters received from said client RRs:
• receive, from each RR client, a filter list that includes routing information for the RR client,
• generate an intersection of similar target entries from the filter lists received from each RR client, the intersection of similar target entries including target entries common to all of the filter lists from the RR clients, and
• using the intersection of similar target entries received from each RR client;
• and
• when sending, by said first RR, the common set of route target filters to said client RRs, store, by the first RR, the common set of route target filters as routing information.

A network scaling hierarchical route reflectors (RRs) using automated Outbound Route Filtering (ORF) comprising:

• a plurality of provider edge (PE) routers;
• and
• a plurality of route reflectors, wherein each route reflector is in communication with each other route reflector and wherein a first router reflector of said plurality of router reflectors identifies other route reflectors of said plurality of route reflectors as route reflector clients within a route reflector hierarchy, wherein each route reflector client is in communication with at least one of said plurality of PE routers, wherein said first router reflector builds a common set of route target filters received from said route reflector clients, and wherein said first route reflector sends the common set of route target filters to said client route reflectors;
• wherein said first route reflector builds a common set of route target filters comprises said first route reflector using an intersection of similar target entries received from each RR client, the intersection of similar target entries including target entries common to all of the filter lists from the RR clients.