Route server
Encyclopedia
A route server is a server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...

 that was originally made with the intention to be a part of the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...

 funded Routing Arbiter project. This routing process directs information among Border Gateway Protocol
Border Gateway Protocol
The Border Gateway Protocol is the protocol backing the core routing decisions on the Internet. It maintains a table of IP networks or 'prefixes' which designate network reachability among autonomous systems . It is described as a path vector protocol...

 (BGP) routers. These servers are placed at Network Access Points
Network access point
A Network Access Point was a public network exchange facility where Internet Service Providers connected with one another in peering arrangements. The NAPs were a key component in the transition from the NSFNET era when many networks were government sponsored and commercial traffic was prohibited...

 (NAP) in which the centralized computers that organize and match routing at the NAPs. This type of server is very important because without it managing BGP sessions would be an impossible procedure. This can be seen where overhead and management difficulties of maintaining BGP sessions through which routers with single or multiple domains that are connected could cause problems (aka full mesh routing connectivity). By introducing the route server the overhead is reduced and at the same time alleviates some of the problem therefore making it much easier to manage. The route server simply gives the ability to look at an IP routing table of an autonomous system
Autonomous system (Internet)
Within the Internet, an Autonomous System is a collection of connected Internet Protocol routing prefixes under the control of one or more network operators that presents a common, clearly defined routing policy to the Internet....

where the server is located.
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