METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS AGGREGATION

The present invention advantageously provides a method, system and apparatus for aggregating multiple site-specific routes, by determining a first aggregate-aware route that includes a prefix of a site-specific address and a prefix length of an aggregate route address of a first service provider. The method and system can be implemented as an enhancement to existing IP protocols such as BGP and other inter-domain routing protocols. The method and apparatus may further include applying a routing protocol policy in which an aggregate route may serve as a proxy for an aggregate-aware route when the address of the aggregate route matches the address of the aggregate-aware route. The method and system may yet further include determining a second aggregate-aware route that includes the prefix of the aggregate route address of the first service provider and a prefix length of a second aggregate route address of a second service provider. The method and system may yet still further include determining a first aggregate-aware route that includes at least two autonomous system identifiers from a multi-homing zone and a multi-homing zone diameter.