This document examines the various longer term trends visible withinthe characteristics of the Internet's BGP table and identifies anumber of operational practices and protocol factors that contributeto these trends. The potential impacts of these practices andprotocol properties on the scaling properties of the inter-domainrouting space are examined.These impacts include the potential for exhaustion of the existingAutonomous System number space, increasing convergence times forselection of stable alternate paths following withdrawal of routeannouncements, the stability of table entries, and the averageprefix length of entries in the BGP table. The larger long termissue is that of an increasingly denser inter-connectivity meshbetween ASes, causing a finer degree of granularity of inter-domain policy and finer levels of control to undertake inter-domain trafficengineering.Various approaches to a refinement of the inter-domain routingprotocol and associated operating practices that may providesuperior scaling properties are identified as an area for furtherinvestigation.This document is the outcome of a collaborative exercise on the partof the Internet Architecture Board.
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