Traffic flow redirection between border routers using routing encapsulation

摘要

In response to receiving one or more packets from an interface, an anchoring border router classifies the traffic flow and either transmits the packets based upon the routing control table as usual, or determines that the packets of the traffic flow are to be forwarded to a forwarding border router. Upon determining that the packets are to be forwarded, the packets are encapsulated with a routing encapsulation key corresponding to a routing path and are forwarded from the anchoring border router to the forwarding border router via a routing encapsulation tunnel. When a forwarding border router receives the redirected packets over the routing encapsulation tunnel, the forwarding border router removes the routing encapsulation key from the packets of the traffic flow and transmits the packets via a routing path corresponding to the routing encapsulation key.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
classifying a plurality of packets received at a first border router as corresponding to a first traffic flow of a plurality of traffic flows; determining whether the packets of the first traffic flow are to be forwarded to a second border router based on a routing control table that establishes an association between the plurality of traffic flows and respective routing paths; in response to determining that the packets of the first traffic flow are to be forwarded to the second border router:
encapsulating the packets of the first traffic flow with a routing encapsulation key indicated by the routing control table, the routing encapsulation key corresponding to a first routing path; andforwarding the encapsulated packets of the first traffic flow via a routing encapsulation tunnel from the first border router to the second border router for transmission via the first routing path; receiving, at the first border router, packets of a second traffic flow via the routing encapsulation tunnel, the packets of the second traffic flow being encapsulated with a second routing encapsulation key; removing the second routing encapsulation key from the packets of the second traffic flow; and transmitting the packets of the second traffic flow via a second routing path corresponding to the second routing encapsulation key without determining at the first border router that the packet of the second traffic flow correspond to the second traffic flow.