A method and apparatus that includes processing for providing distributed communication routing that, in one embodiment, begins by obtaining registration information from a plurality of forwarding engines, for identifying the plurality of forwarding engines based on the registration information, for generating at least one specific forwarding table for at least one corresponding forwarding engine of the plurality of forwarding engines, and for forwarding the specific forwarding table to the corresponding forwarding engine. In an alternate embodiment, the processing determines internal routing connections and external routing connections for the plurality of forwarding engines after identifying the forwarding engines, generates at least one external forwarding table for at least some of the plurality of forwarding engines, and generates at least one specific internal forwarding table for a corresponding forwarding engine. The tables are forwarded to the corresponding forwarding engine or engines.