Autonomous Systems
The “core” + edges were still considered “one network” => administrative problems like rebooting a router required coordination.
Replace this n/w with “autonomous systems”(AS). “Stub” AS connect via “cores”
AS = set of routers and networks under the same administration
- No theoretical limit to the size of the AS
- All parts within an AS remain connected.
- If two networks rely on core-AS to connect, they don’t belong to a single AS