RFC 1136 (rfc1136) - Page 1 of 10

Administrative Domains and Routing Domains: A model for routing in the Internet

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Network Working Group                                           S. Hares
Request for Comments:  1136                                      D. Katz
                                                            Merit/NSFNET
                                                           December 1989


               Administrative Domains and Routing Domains
                  A Model for Routing in the Internet


1)  Status of this Memo

   This RFC proposes a model for describing routing within the Internet.
   The model is an adaptation of the "OSI Routeing Framework" [1].  This
   memo does not specify an Internet standard.  Comments are welcome.
   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

2)  Acknowledgement

   The authors would like to thank Guy Almes of Rice University for his
   contributions and insight.

3)  Overview

   The "core" model of Autonomous Systems [2] formed the basis for the
   routing model used in the Internet.  Due to massive growth and
   topology changes, the "core" model no longer is in harmony with the
   reality of today's Internet.  Indeed, this situation was foreseen at
   the outset:

      "Ultimately, however, the internet may consist of a number of co-
      equal autonomous systems, any of which may be used...as a
      transport medium for traffic originating in any system and
      destined for any system.  When this more complex configuration
      comes into being, it will be inappropriate to regard any one
      autonomous system as a "core" system" [2].

   Furthermore, the Autonomous System concept has been outgrown in
   certain parts of the Internet, in which the complexity of regional
   routing has exceeded the limits of the definition of Autonomous
   Systems.

   A model which can provide a better match to the Internet can be found
   in the "OSI Routeing Framework" [1].

   This framework proposes a structure of Routing Domains within
   Administrative Domains.  This paper is intended to briefly describe
   this framework, to outline how this model better fits the reality of



Hares & Katz
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