Patent ID: 8098578
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: G01V,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for dynamically increasing the granularity of prefix control in a computer network, the method comprising: populating a routing table with reachable prefixes, the routing table stored at a router having a plurality of interfaces and configured to operate in the computer network; monitoring, by the router, one or more performance characteristics of the prefixes in the routing table; determining that a need exists for more granular prefix control; determining one or more boundaries upon which to divide a selected one of the prefixes in the routing table based on at least one of the monitored performance characteristics of the prefixes in the routing table, the selected one of the prefixes in the routing table having a mask length of N bits; splitting the selected one of the prefixes in the routing table along the one or more boundaries upon which to divide the selected one of the prefixes, to create one or more split prefixes that refer to a more specific subset of nodes within the computer network than the selected one of the prefixes, the one or more split prefixes having a mask length of more than N bits; inserting into the routing table the one or more split prefixes that were created, the one or more split prefixes being inserted as one or more new entries in the routing table; and controlling the split prefixes.