ENHANCING INTER-DOMAIN ROUTING POLICY AUTOMATION WITH BLOCKCHAIN AND SMART CONTRACTS

The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), which manages inter-domain routing, undergoes frequent changes. This requires strong policy management to keep data transfer across different networks (called Autonomous Systems, or ASes) safe and efficient. Traditional methods usually require physical setup, which can cause mistakes and security risks. This paper looks at how blockchain technology and smart contracts can work together to make inter-domain routing rules automatic. We propose a framework called the RPAChain (Routing Policy Automation Chain), which enhances trust, transparency, and automation in routing policy management by utilising the decentralised and immutable ledgers of blockchain technology along with the self-executing capabilities of smart contracts. We explain the system's working details, including the automatic routing processes. We then examine the results and their implications for future routing between various domains.