Patent ID: 7529254
Filing Date: 2009-05-05
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A communication apparatus for connecting a stub network group consisting of one or more stub networks assigned one or more predetermined AS (Autonomous System) numbers respectively to an upstream network assigned an AS number, said communication apparatus having its own AS number, comprising: means for storing said own AS number; an interface for sending/receiving a routing message for controlling forwarding of information between autonomous systems (AS) in accordance with a predetermined routing protocol and an own AS number notification message to notify its own AS number to a foreign communication apparatus deployed in one stub network among said one or more stub networks or a foreign communication apparatus deployed in said upstream network; notifying means for notifying said routing message and said own AS number notification message to said foreign communication apparatus in a stub network among said one or more stub networks or said foreign communication apparatus deployed in said upstream network through said interface; a processor for processing said routing message; and storage means for storing a routing software program used for said routing, wherein when sending said own AS number notification message to said foreign communication apparatus deployed in a stub network among said one or more stub networks, said processor notifies said upstream network AS number to said foreign communication apparatus in said stub network among said one or more stub networks instead of its own AS number; wherein when relaying a routing message received from said upstream network to a stub network among said one or more stub networks, said processor processes said routing message without discarding information related to a preferential route of forwarding a packet, said information being ruled by said routing protocol so as not to be relayed to any further AS beyond an AS which receives the information therein.