The stable paths problem and interdomain routing

Abstract-Dynamic routing protocols such as RIP and OSPF essentially implement distributed algorithms for solving the Shortest Paths Problem. The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is currently the only interdomain routing protocol deployed in the Internet. BGP is not solving a shortest paths problem since any interdomain protocol is required to allow policy-based metrics to override distance-based metrics and enable autonomous systems to independently define their routing policies with little or no global coordination. It is then natural to ask if BGP can be viewed as a distributed algorithm for solving some fundamental problem. We introduce the Stable Paths Problem and show that BGP can be viewed as a distributed algorithm for solving this problem. Unlike a shortest path tree, such a solution does not represent a global optimum, but rather an equilibrium point in which each node is assigned its local optimum. We study the Stable Paths Problem using a derived structure called a dispute whee...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2002
• Where: TON
• Authors: Timothy Griffin, F. Bruce Shepherd, Gordon T. Wilfong
• Keywords: Paths Problem, Shortest Paths Problem, Stable Paths Problem, TON 2002