Patent ID: 8830988

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: discovering, by a first data collector that is communicatively coupled to first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) logic of a router within a first autonomous system, an address prefix of a second data collector that is communicatively coupled to second BGP logic of a router within a second autonomous system that is coupled to the first autonomous system directly or indirectly through one or more networks or internetworks, the second autonomous system being independent of the first autonomous system; based on the address prefix, determining a path through the first autonomous system, the one or more networks or internetworks, and the second autonomous system to the second data collector based on BGP route table data stored at the router within the first autonomous system; requesting the second data collector to provide one or more data values relating to performance of network elements of the second autonomous system; receiving and storing the one or more data values; receiving, by the first data collector, a request to provide one or more data values relating to performance of network elements of the first autonomous system; retrieving one or more performance data values from each of one or more local border routers within the first autonomous system.