A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing addresses in a network. In one advantageous embodiment, a computer implemented method is used to managing addresses for a plurality of destinations in a network. Addresses assigned to a plurality of gateways are summarized to form summarized addresses containing prefixes and addresses for the plurality of gateways in which each gateway in the plurality of gateways is associated with a portion of the prefixes and addresses for destinations handled by the each gateway in the plurality of gateways. A gateway in the plurality of gateways having a largest portion of the summarized addresses is assigned a prefix for all addresses assigned to the network to form a selected gateway. An associated portion of the summarized addresses for the selected gateway is replaced with the prefix.