Patent ID: 8549616
Filing Date: 2013-10-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A route reflector comprising: a memory to implement a shared resource access control database; a user interface module to receive a request to permit access for a first virtual private network to a network-based shared resource; a multi-protocol border gateway protocol engine to process border gateway protocol advertisements; a network interface to receive a first border gateway protocol advertisement from a first provider edge router associated with the first virtual private network, the first border gateway protocol advertisement including a first route target associated with the first virtual private network; and a shared resource access controller to update the shared resource access control database based on the request, to query the database to determine whether the first virtual private network has access to the network-based shared resource in response to the first border gateway protocol advertisement, and to direct the multi-protocol border gateway protocol engine to form a second border gateway protocol advertisement based on the first border gateway protocol advertisement when the first virtual private network has access to the network-based shared resource, the second border gateway protocol advertisement including a second route target associated with the network-based shared resource, wherein the network interface is to send the second border gateway protocol advertisement to a second provider edge router associated with a second virtual private network, wherein the route reflector is separate from the first provider edge router and the second provider edge router.