Abstract: A network that supports VPNs is enhanced to allow users in one VPN to communicate with users in another VPN in the course of executing a predefined application, such as VoIP. This capability is achieved dynamically by enabling a device that can communicate with the network elements that operate to normally prohibit inter-VPN communication to direct those network elements to enable such communication, at least for the purposes the purposes of specific applications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing traffic management for distributed denial of service (DDOS) traffic. Within a communications network, a DDOS detection system monitors network traffic to identify traffic that is designed to attack a particular server within the network and their entry points into the network. A traffic routing control unit is requested to deny service to the DDOS traffic. By selectively manipulating the routing information propagated to network edge routers, the traffic that is denied service is limited to mostly DDOS traffic and is routed to a cleaning center or a null address in the most effective fashion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing traffic management through dynamic and granular definitions of route groups. Within a communications network, a traffic routing control unit (e.g., an intelligent route service control point (IRSCP)) creates route group assignments for each route within a customers network in accordance with a customer's routing plan, determines protocol control values to be set within each edge router of the network to fulfill the group assignments, and uses border gateway protocol (BGP) to set the protocol control values in the edge routers to facilitate fulfilling the route group assignments. Using the traffic routing control unit and programming the protocol control values of the edge routers, enables the network to be flexibly defined and the traffic routing within the network to have very granular control.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for managing route selection in a network. Specifically, the method comprises receiving a set of routes from each of a plurality of routers, filtering each of the sets of routes, and selecting at least one route from each of the filtered sets of routes according to routing information associated with each of the respective routers.

Abstract: A network that supports VPNs is enhanced to allow users in one VPN to communicate with users in another VPN in the course of executing a predefined application, such as VoIP. This capability is achieved dynamically by enabling a device that can communicate with the network elements that operate to normally prohibit inter-VPN communication to direct those network elements to enable such communication, at least for the purposes the purposes of specific applications.