Patent ID: 8121118
Filing Date: 2012-02-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A route server to control connectivity within a virtual private network, the route server comprising: a memory to implement an intra-virtual private network connectivity database; a 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 virtual private network, the first border gateway protocol advertisement including a first border gateway protocol route target attribute, the first border gateway protocol route target attribute included in an export policy of a first virtual routing and forwarding table associated with the first provider edge router; and an intra-virtual private network connectivity controller to, in response to the first border gateway protocol advertisement, query the database to determine whether the first provider edge router is to be communicatively coupled to a second provider edge router of the virtual private network and when the first and second provider edge routers of the virtual private network are to be communicatively coupled, to direct the border gateway protocol engine to form a second border gateway protocol advertisement based on the first border gateway protocol advertisement by replacing the first border gateway protocol route target attribute with a second border gateway protocol route target attribute different from the first border gateway protocol route target attribute, the second border gateway protocol route target attribute included in an import policy of a second virtual routing and forwarding table associated with the second provider edge router, wherein the network interface is to receive a third border gateway protocol advertisement from the second provider edge router, the third border gateway protocol advertisement including a third border gateway protocol route target attribute, the third border gateway protocol route target attribute included in a second export policy associated with the provider edge router, and wherein the intra-virtual private network connectivity controller is to, in response to the third border gateway protocol advertisement, query the database to determine whether the first provider edge router is to be communicatively coupled to the second provider edge router and when the first and second provider edge routers of the virtual private network are to be communicatively coupled, to direct the border gateway protocol engine to form a fourth border gateway protocol advertisement based on the third border gateway protocol advertisement by replacing the third border gateway protocol route target attribute with a fourth border gateway protocol route target attribute, the border gateway protocol route target attribute included in a second export policy of the first virtual routing and forwarding table associated with the first provider edge router.