VARIOUS METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR A ROUTE SERVER

摘要

A method, apparatus, and system in which a route server connects network users to network providers. In an embodiment, the route server may have code programmed to connect to network elements, including routers, from a plurality of Internet network service providers to the network elements of a plurality of users through the route server. The route server also had code programmed to make routing decisions for the plurality of users and the plurality of Internet network service providers and then communicates these decisions to one or more of the plurality of Internet network service providers via Border Gateway Protocol. The route server also has code programmed to maintain multiple views of the routing table as well as implement multiple BGP instances, each instance representing different autonomous systems, in a single instance of the route server. The route server also has code programmed to match a first user to one or more of the Internet network service providers based on criteria provided by both the first user and the plurality of Internet network service providers including that the first user can select from not only the best possible routes of each Internet network service but a full listing of all possible routes to a destination address from each Internet network service matching the user's criteria in order to construct a route table to get IP packets of the first user to a destination address.