diff --git a/src/cluster/bucketed_service.rs b/src/cluster/bucketed_service.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..104f77a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cluster/bucketed_service.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+use super::cluster::{AdmissionStats, Cluster};
+use crate::config::{BucketConfig, Config, ModelConfig};
+use crate::instance::Instance;
+use crate::router::{self, BucketId, GlobalRouter};
+use crate::trace::RequestRecord;
+
+pub struct ServiceBucket {
+    pub id: BucketId,
+    pub cfg: BucketConfig,
+    pub cluster: Cluster,
+}
+
+impl ServiceBucket {
+    pub fn instances(&self) -> &[Instance] {
+        &self.cluster.instances
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct BucketedService {
+    pub buckets: Vec<ServiceBucket>,
+    pub global_router: Box<dyn GlobalRouter>,
+}
+
+impl BucketedService {
+    pub fn new(config: &Config, model: &ModelConfig) -> Self {
+        let buckets = config
+            .cluster
+            .effective_buckets()
+            .into_iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .map(|(idx, cfg)| ServiceBucket {
+                id: idx as BucketId,
+                cluster: Cluster::new_for_bucket(config, model, idx as BucketId, cfg.num_instances)
+                    .expect("bucket-local cluster construction should succeed"),
+                cfg,
+            })
+            .collect();
+
+        Self {
+            buckets,
+            global_router: router::build_global(config),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn bucket(&self, bucket_id: BucketId) -> &ServiceBucket {
+        &self.buckets[bucket_id as usize]
+    }
+
+    pub fn route_and_admit(&mut self, req: &RequestRecord, now: f64) -> AdmissionStats {
+        let bucket_views = self
+            .buckets
+            .iter()
+            .map(|bucket| bucket.cluster.bucket_view(bucket.id, &bucket.cfg))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        let global = self.global_router.route(req, &bucket_views, now);
+        let bucket = &mut self.buckets[global.chosen_bucket as usize];
+        bucket
+            .cluster
+            .route_and_admit_with_global(req, now, &global)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::config::{
+        BucketConfig, CalibrationConfig, ClusterConfig, Config, GlobalRouterConfig,
+        GlobalRouterMode, HardwareConfig, MetaStoreConfig, ModelConfig, RouterConfig, RouterMode,
+        SimConfig,
+    };
+    use crate::trace::RequestRecord;
+
+    fn test_config() -> Config {
+        Config {
+            model: ModelConfig {
+                name: "test".into(),
+                num_layers: 4,
+                num_kv_heads: 2,
+                head_dim: 64,
+                dtype_bytes: 2,
+                block_size_tokens: 16,
+                flops_per_token_prefill: Some(1.0e9),
+                attn_quadratic_coeff: Some(64.0),
+                ..Default::default()
+            },
+            hardware: HardwareConfig {
+                gpu_flops: 1.0e14,
+                gpu_fp8_flops: 0.0,
+                gpu_fp4_flops: 0.0,
+                gpu_mem_bw: 1.0e12,
+                hbm_bytes: 1.0e9,
+                dram_bytes: 4.0e9,
+                host_dram_bw: 5.0e11,
+                pcie_bw: 32.0e9,
+                pcie_latency_us: 1.0,
+                rdma_bw: 12.0e9,
+                rdma_latency_us: 5.0,
+                intra_node_tp_bw: 9.0e11,
+                intra_node_tp_latency_us: 2.0,
+                tp_degree: 1,
+                max_batch_slots: 32,
+                prefill_chunk_tokens: 1024,
+            },
+            calibration: CalibrationConfig::default(),
+            cluster: ClusterConfig {
+                num_instances: None,
+                buckets: vec![
+                    BucketConfig {
+                        name: "short".into(),
+                        input_length_min: 0,
+                        input_length_max: 32,
+                        num_instances: 2,
+                    },
+                    BucketConfig {
+                        name: "long".into(),
+                        input_length_min: 33,
+                        input_length_max: 96,
+                        num_instances: 1,
+                    },
+                ],
+                global_router: GlobalRouterConfig {
+                    mode: GlobalRouterMode::StrictInputLength,
+                    length_penalty_weight: 1.0,
+                    load_weight: 1.0,
+                    cache_weight: 1.0,
+                },
+                meta_store: MetaStoreConfig {
+                    ttl_seconds: 1000.0,
+                },
+                router: RouterConfig {
+                    mode: RouterMode::LeastLoaded,
+                    precise_probe_latency_us: 10.0,
+                    precise_probe_topk: 2,
+                    load_alpha: 0.0,
+                    score_alpha: 1.0,
+                    score_beta: 0.1,
+                    prefix_k: 8,
+                    affinity_fan_out: 2,
+                },
+            },
+            sim: SimConfig {
+                trace_path: String::new(),
+                max_requests: None,
+                output_dir: String::new(),
+                sample_interval_s: 0.0,
+                seed: 7,
+                input_length_min: None,
+                input_length_max: None,
+            },
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn req(req_id: u64, input_len: u32, hashes: &[u64]) -> RequestRecord {
+        RequestRecord {
+            req_id,
+            chat_id: req_id as i64,
+            parent_chat_id: -1,
+            turn: 0,
+            arrival: 0.0,
+            input_len,
+            output_len: 16,
+            hash_ids: hashes.to_vec(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn strict_input_length_routes_into_matching_bucket() {
+        let cfg = test_config();
+        let mut service = BucketedService::new(&cfg, &cfg.model);
+        let stats = service.route_and_admit(&req(1, 24, &[10, 11]), 0.0);
+        assert_eq!(stats.bucket, 0);
+        assert_eq!(stats.decision.chosen_bucket, 0);
+        assert_eq!(service.bucket(0).instances().len(), 2);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn bucket_meta_store_is_isolated() {
+        let cfg = test_config();
+        let mut service = BucketedService::new(&cfg, &cfg.model);
+        let _ = service.route_and_admit(&req(1, 24, &[10, 11]), 0.0);
+        let long_stats = service.route_and_admit(&req(2, 64, &[10, 11, 12, 13]), 1.0);
+        assert_eq!(long_stats.bucket, 1);
+        assert_eq!(long_stats.remote_hit_blocks, 0);
+        assert_eq!(long_stats.l1_hit_blocks, 0);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/cluster/cluster.rs b/src/cluster/cluster.rs
index 035a72e..31f4386 100644
--- a/src/cluster/cluster.rs
+++ b/src/cluster/cluster.rs
@@ -4,17 +4,18 @@
 use anyhow::Result;
 
 use crate::cluster::meta_store::MetaStore;
-use crate::config::{Config, ModelConfig};
+use crate::config::{BucketConfig, Config, ModelConfig};
 use crate::instance::instance::AdmittedRequest;
 use crate::instance::kv_cache::L1Change;
 use crate::instance::Instance;
-use crate::router::{self, RouteDecision, Router};
+use crate::router::{self, BucketId, BucketView, GlobalRouteDecision, RouteDecision, Router};
 use crate::trace::RequestRecord;
 use crate::ttft::{classify_prefix_tiers, TtftModel};
 use crate::types::InstanceId;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct AdmissionStats {
+    pub bucket: BucketId,
     pub instance: InstanceId,
     pub l0_hit_blocks: u32,
     pub l1_hit_blocks: u32,
@@ -40,38 +41,39 @@ pub struct Cluster {
 impl Cluster {
     pub fn new(config: &Config, model: &ModelConfig) -> Result<Self> {
         let total_instances = config.cluster.require_legacy_single_pool("Cluster::new")?;
-        let mut instances = Vec::with_capacity(total_instances as usize);
-        for id in 0..total_instances {
-            instances.push(Instance::new(
-                id as InstanceId,
-                model,
-                &config.hardware,
-                &config.calibration,
-            ));
-        }
-        let meta_store = MetaStore::new(config.cluster.meta_store.ttl_seconds);
-        let router = router::build(config, config.sim.seed);
-        Ok(Self {
-            instances,
-            meta_store,
-            router,
-            block_size_tokens: model.block_size_tokens,
-            kv_block_bytes: model.kv_block_bytes(),
-            ttft_model: TtftModel::new(
-                &config.hardware,
-                &config.calibration,
-                model.kv_block_bytes(),
-            ),
-        })
+        Self::build_local_cluster(config, model, total_instances)
+    }
+
+    pub fn new_for_bucket(
+        config: &Config,
+        model: &ModelConfig,
+        _bucket_id: BucketId,
+        num_instances: u32,
+    ) -> Result<Self> {
+        let mut local_config = config.clone();
+        local_config.cluster.num_instances = Some(num_instances);
+        local_config.cluster.buckets.clear();
+        Self::build_local_cluster(&local_config, model, num_instances)
     }
 
     /// Route + admit a request. Returns the chosen instance plus rich
     /// per-request stats for metrics. Does NOT schedule the BatchTick — the
     /// simulator driver does that based on the returned `ready_at`.
     pub fn route_and_admit(&mut self, req: &RequestRecord, now: f64) -> AdmissionStats {
+        let global = GlobalRouteDecision::single_bucket(req.req_id, 0);
+        self.route_and_admit_with_global(req, now, &global)
+    }
+
+    pub fn route_and_admit_with_global(
+        &mut self,
+        req: &RequestRecord,
+        now: f64,
+        global: &GlobalRouteDecision,
+    ) -> AdmissionStats {
         let decision = self
             .router
-            .route(req, &self.instances, &self.meta_store, now);
+            .route(req, &self.instances, &self.meta_store, now)
+            .with_global(global);
         let inst_id = decision.chosen;
         let probe_overhead_s = decision.probe_overhead_s;
         let scheduler_overhead_s = self
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ impl Cluster {
         let fetch_time_s = (t - effective_now).max(0.0);
 
         AdmissionStats {
+            bucket: decision.chosen_bucket,
             instance: inst_id,
             l0_hit_blocks: l0_hits,
             l1_hit_blocks: l1_hits,
@@ -168,6 +171,17 @@ impl Cluster {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn bucket_view(&self, bucket_id: BucketId, cfg: &BucketConfig) -> BucketView {
+        BucketView {
+            id: bucket_id,
+            input_length_min: cfg.input_length_min,
+            input_length_max: cfg.input_length_max,
+            num_instances: self.instances.len() as u32,
+            total_queue_len: self.instances.iter().map(Instance::queue_len).sum(),
+            total_load_blocks: self.instances.iter().map(|inst| inst.kv_blocks_used).sum(),
+        }
+    }
+
     fn apply_l1_changes(
         meta_store: &mut MetaStore,
         inst_id: InstanceId,
@@ -181,6 +195,36 @@ impl Cluster {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    fn build_local_cluster(
+        config: &Config,
+        model: &ModelConfig,
+        num_instances: u32,
+    ) -> Result<Self> {
+        let mut instances = Vec::with_capacity(num_instances as usize);
+        for id in 0..num_instances {
+            instances.push(Instance::new(
+                id as InstanceId,
+                model,
+                &config.hardware,
+                &config.calibration,
+            ));
+        }
+        let meta_store = MetaStore::new(config.cluster.meta_store.ttl_seconds);
+        let router = router::build(config, config.sim.seed);
+        Ok(Self {
+            instances,
+            meta_store,
+            router,
+            block_size_tokens: model.block_size_tokens,
+            kv_block_bytes: model.kv_block_bytes(),
+            ttft_model: TtftModel::new(
+                &config.hardware,
+                &config.calibration,
+                model.kv_block_bytes(),
+            ),
+        })
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/cluster/mod.rs b/src/cluster/mod.rs
index bc36667..01893e8 100644
--- a/src/cluster/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cluster/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
+pub mod bucketed_service;
 #[allow(clippy::module_inception)]
 pub mod cluster;
 pub mod meta_store;
 
+pub use bucketed_service::BucketedService;
 pub use cluster::Cluster;
 pub use meta_store::MetaStore;
diff --git a/src/router/adaptive_affinity.rs b/src/router/adaptive_affinity.rs
index c1ff154..8b8c7cb 100644
--- a/src/router/adaptive_affinity.rs
+++ b/src/router/adaptive_affinity.rs
@@ -242,13 +242,13 @@ impl Router for AdaptiveAffinityRouter {
 
         self.observe(fp, now);
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "adaptive_affinity",
-            chosen: instances[chosen_idx].id,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "adaptive_affinity",
+            instances[chosen_idx].id,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
             reason,
-        }
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/cache_affinity.rs b/src/router/cache_affinity.rs
index 5e09d33..a42a1af 100644
--- a/src/router/cache_affinity.rs
+++ b/src/router/cache_affinity.rs
@@ -205,13 +205,13 @@ impl Router for CacheAffinityRouter {
             }
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "cache_affinity",
-            chosen: instances[best_idx].id,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "cache_affinity",
+            instances[best_idx].id,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "argmin(α·q − γ·l0_hit − δ·meta_only) + rendezvous tiebreak",
-        }
+            "argmin(α·q − γ·l0_hit − δ·meta_only) + rendezvous tiebreak",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/cache_load.rs b/src/router/cache_load.rs
index 142e00c..3101c6f 100644
--- a/src/router/cache_load.rs
+++ b/src/router/cache_load.rs
@@ -77,13 +77,13 @@ impl Router for CacheLoadRouter {
             });
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "cache_load",
-            chosen: instances[best_idx].id,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "cache_load",
+            instances[best_idx].id,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "least-loaded 1/4, then best local L0 prefix",
-        }
+            "least-loaded 1/4, then best local L0 prefix",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/cache_score.rs b/src/router/cache_score.rs
index ab23882..a727f32 100644
--- a/src/router/cache_score.rs
+++ b/src/router/cache_score.rs
@@ -99,13 +99,13 @@ impl Router for CacheScoreRouter {
             }
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "cache_score",
-            chosen: instances[best_idx].id,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "cache_score",
+            instances[best_idx].id,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "argmin 2^(α·load + β·miss)",
-        }
+            "argmin 2^(α·load + β·miss)",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/cache_score_ttl.rs b/src/router/cache_score_ttl.rs
index c67ad1d..d411247 100644
--- a/src/router/cache_score_ttl.rs
+++ b/src/router/cache_score_ttl.rs
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ impl Router for CacheScoreTtlRouter {
             }
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "cache_score_ttl",
-            chosen: instances[best_idx].id,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "cache_score_ttl",
+            instances[best_idx].id,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "argmin 2^(alpha*load + beta*meta_store_miss)",
-        }
+            "argmin 2^(alpha*load + beta*meta_store_miss)",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/estimated_ttft.rs b/src/router/estimated_ttft.rs
index bc206bc..e4b8a69 100644
--- a/src/router/estimated_ttft.rs
+++ b/src/router/estimated_ttft.rs
@@ -89,13 +89,13 @@ impl Router for EstimatedTtftRouter {
             }
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "estimated_ttft",
-            chosen: best,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "estimated_ttft",
+            best,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "argmin(drain + scheduler + kv_prepare + prefill + first_token_tail)",
-        }
+            "argmin(drain + scheduler + kv_prepare + prefill + first_token_tail)",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/global_bucket.rs b/src/router/global_bucket.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0684e17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/router/global_bucket.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+use serde::Serialize;
+
+use crate::config::{Config, GlobalRouterMode};
+use crate::trace::RequestRecord;
+
+pub type BucketId = u32;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize)]
+pub struct BucketView {
+    pub id: BucketId,
+    pub input_length_min: u32,
+    pub input_length_max: u32,
+    pub num_instances: u32,
+    pub total_queue_len: u32,
+    pub total_load_blocks: u32,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize)]
+pub struct BucketCandidate {
+    pub bucket: BucketId,
+    pub input_length_min: u32,
+    pub input_length_max: u32,
+    pub num_instances: u32,
+    pub total_queue_len: u32,
+    pub total_load_blocks: u32,
+    pub matches_input_len: bool,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize)]
+pub struct GlobalRouteDecision {
+    pub req_id: u64,
+    pub mode: &'static str,
+    pub chosen_bucket: BucketId,
+    pub candidates: Vec<BucketCandidate>,
+    pub reason: &'static str,
+}
+
+impl GlobalRouteDecision {
+    pub fn single_bucket(req_id: u64, chosen_bucket: BucketId) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            req_id,
+            mode: "single_pool",
+            chosen_bucket,
+            candidates: Vec::new(),
+            reason: "single pool uses bucket 0",
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub trait GlobalRouter: Send {
+    fn name(&self) -> &'static str;
+    fn route(
+        &mut self,
+        req: &RequestRecord,
+        buckets: &[BucketView],
+        now: f64,
+    ) -> GlobalRouteDecision;
+}
+
+struct StrictInputLengthRouter {
+    reported_mode: &'static str,
+    reason: &'static str,
+}
+
+impl StrictInputLengthRouter {
+    fn new(reported_mode: &'static str, reason: &'static str) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            reported_mode,
+            reason,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl GlobalRouter for StrictInputLengthRouter {
+    fn name(&self) -> &'static str {
+        self.reported_mode
+    }
+
+    fn route(
+        &mut self,
+        req: &RequestRecord,
+        buckets: &[BucketView],
+        _now: f64,
+    ) -> GlobalRouteDecision {
+        let candidates = buckets
+            .iter()
+            .map(|view| BucketCandidate {
+                bucket: view.id,
+                input_length_min: view.input_length_min,
+                input_length_max: view.input_length_max,
+                num_instances: view.num_instances,
+                total_queue_len: view.total_queue_len,
+                total_load_blocks: view.total_load_blocks,
+                matches_input_len: view.input_length_min <= req.input_len
+                    && req.input_len <= view.input_length_max,
+            })
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+
+        let matches = candidates
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|candidate| candidate.matches_input_len)
+            .map(|candidate| candidate.bucket)
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            matches.len(),
+            1,
+            "global bucket routing requires exactly one matching bucket for input_len={}",
+            req.input_len
+        );
+
+        GlobalRouteDecision {
+            req_id: req.req_id,
+            mode: self.reported_mode,
+            chosen_bucket: matches[0],
+            candidates,
+            reason: self.reason,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn build(full: &Config) -> Box<dyn GlobalRouter> {
+    match full.cluster.global_router.mode {
+        GlobalRouterMode::StrictInputLength => Box::new(StrictInputLengthRouter::new(
+            "strict_input_length",
+            "unique bucket range contains input_length",
+        )) as Box<dyn GlobalRouter>,
+        GlobalRouterMode::BucketScore => Box::new(StrictInputLengthRouter::new(
+            "bucket_score",
+            "bucket_score placeholder falls back to strict_input_length",
+        )) as Box<dyn GlobalRouter>,
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/router/least_loaded.rs b/src/router/least_loaded.rs
index efc0ed8..272cb93 100644
--- a/src/router/least_loaded.rs
+++ b/src/router/least_loaded.rs
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ impl Router for LeastLoadedRouter {
                 best = inst.id;
             }
         }
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "least_loaded",
-            chosen: best,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "least_loaded",
+            best,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "argmin(kv_used + alpha * queue_len)",
-        }
+            "argmin(kv_used + alpha * queue_len)",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/least_tokens.rs b/src/router/least_tokens.rs
index effdad7..2c06427 100644
--- a/src/router/least_tokens.rs
+++ b/src/router/least_tokens.rs
@@ -61,13 +61,13 @@ impl Router for LeastTokensRouter {
             }
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "least_tokens",
-            chosen: best,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "least_tokens",
+            best,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "argmin(waiting_prefill_tokens)",
-        }
+            "argmin(waiting_prefill_tokens)",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/lineage_affinity.rs b/src/router/lineage_affinity.rs
index d23a580..0e9035b 100644
--- a/src/router/lineage_affinity.rs
+++ b/src/router/lineage_affinity.rs
@@ -231,13 +231,13 @@ impl Router for LineageAffinityRouter {
         self.request_home
             .insert(req.chat_id, instances[chosen.idx].id);
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "lineage_affinity",
-            chosen: instances[chosen.idx].id,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "lineage_affinity",
+            instances[chosen.idx].id,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
             reason,
-        }
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/min_pd.rs b/src/router/min_pd.rs
index f801639..2033dee 100644
--- a/src/router/min_pd.rs
+++ b/src/router/min_pd.rs
@@ -90,13 +90,13 @@ impl Router for MinPdRouter {
             }
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "min_pd",
-            chosen: best,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "min_pd",
+            best,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "argmin(P*D), P=local-L0 miss tokens, D=ongoing reqs",
-        }
+            "argmin(P*D), P=local-L0 miss tokens, D=ongoing reqs",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/mod.rs b/src/router/mod.rs
index 2a23e3c..e2e7676 100644
--- a/src/router/mod.rs
+++ b/src/router/mod.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ pub mod cache_load;
 pub mod cache_score;
 pub mod cache_score_ttl;
 pub mod estimated_ttft;
+pub mod global_bucket;
 pub mod least_loaded;
 pub mod least_tokens;
 pub mod lineage_affinity;
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ use crate::instance::Instance;
 use crate::trace::RequestRecord;
 use crate::types::InstanceId;
 
+pub use global_bucket::{BucketCandidate, BucketId, BucketView, GlobalRouteDecision, GlobalRouter};
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize)]
 pub struct CandidateInfo {
     pub instance: InstanceId,
@@ -34,13 +37,25 @@ pub struct CandidateInfo {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize)]
 pub struct RouteDecision {
     pub req_id: u64,
+    pub global_mode: &'static str,
     pub mode: &'static str,
+    pub chosen_bucket: BucketId,
     pub chosen: InstanceId,
     pub probe_overhead_s: f64,
+    pub bucket_candidates: Vec<BucketCandidate>,
     pub candidates: Vec<CandidateInfo>,
     pub reason: &'static str,
 }
 
+impl RouteDecision {
+    pub fn with_global(mut self, decision: &GlobalRouteDecision) -> Self {
+        self.global_mode = decision.mode;
+        self.chosen_bucket = decision.chosen_bucket;
+        self.bucket_candidates = decision.candidates.clone();
+        self
+    }
+}
+
 pub trait Router: Send {
     fn name(&self) -> &'static str;
     fn route(
@@ -63,6 +78,27 @@ pub(crate) fn local_l0_scores(req: &RequestRecord, instances: &[Instance]) -> Ve
         .collect()
 }
 
+pub fn local_route_decision(
+    req_id: u64,
+    mode: &'static str,
+    chosen: InstanceId,
+    probe_overhead_s: f64,
+    candidates: Vec<CandidateInfo>,
+    reason: &'static str,
+) -> RouteDecision {
+    RouteDecision {
+        req_id,
+        global_mode: "single_pool",
+        mode,
+        chosen_bucket: 0,
+        chosen,
+        probe_overhead_s,
+        bucket_candidates: Vec::new(),
+        candidates,
+        reason,
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn build(full: &Config, seed: u64) -> Box<dyn Router> {
     use crate::config::RouterMode::*;
     let cfg = &full.cluster.router;
@@ -122,6 +158,10 @@ pub fn build(full: &Config, seed: u64) -> Box<dyn Router> {
     }
 }
 
+pub fn build_global(full: &Config) -> Box<dyn GlobalRouter> {
+    global_bucket::build(full)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/src/router/precise_aware.rs b/src/router/precise_aware.rs
index 9940815..e0d90cd 100644
--- a/src/router/precise_aware.rs
+++ b/src/router/precise_aware.rs
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ impl Router for PreciseRouter {
             }
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "precise",
-            chosen: best,
-            probe_overhead_s: n as f64 * self.probe_latency_s,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "precise",
+            best,
+            n as f64 * self.probe_latency_s,
             candidates,
-            reason: "exact-probe all instances' L0 cache",
-        }
+            "exact-probe all instances' L0 cache",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/prefix_affinity.rs b/src/router/prefix_affinity.rs
index ca6bcb3..bde3443 100644
--- a/src/router/prefix_affinity.rs
+++ b/src/router/prefix_affinity.rs
@@ -166,13 +166,13 @@ impl Router for PrefixAffinityRouter {
             reason = "prefix affinity: top-K min drain";
         }
 
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "prefix_affinity",
-            chosen: instances[best_idx].id,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "prefix_affinity",
+            instances[best_idx].id,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
             reason,
-        }
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/random.rs b/src/router/random.rs
index c4bfb17..8f2deae 100644
--- a/src/router/random.rs
+++ b/src/router/random.rs
@@ -33,19 +33,19 @@ impl Router for RandomRouter {
     ) -> RouteDecision {
         let n = instances.len();
         let chosen = self.rng.gen_range(0..n) as InstanceId;
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "random",
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "random",
             chosen,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
-            candidates: vec![CandidateInfo {
+            0.0,
+            vec![CandidateInfo {
                 instance: chosen,
                 predicted_prefix: 0,
                 load_blocks: instances[chosen as usize].kv_blocks_used,
                 queue_len: instances[chosen as usize].queue_len(),
             }],
-            reason: "uniform random",
-        }
+            "uniform random",
+        )
     }
 }
 
@@ -75,18 +75,18 @@ impl Router for RoundRobinRouter {
         let n = instances.len() as u32;
         let chosen = self.next % n;
         self.next = self.next.wrapping_add(1);
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "round_robin",
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "round_robin",
             chosen,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
-            candidates: vec![CandidateInfo {
+            0.0,
+            vec![CandidateInfo {
                 instance: chosen,
                 predicted_prefix: 0,
                 load_blocks: instances[chosen as usize].kv_blocks_used,
                 queue_len: instances[chosen as usize].queue_len(),
             }],
-            reason: "round robin",
-        }
+            "round robin",
+        )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/router/ttl_aware.rs b/src/router/ttl_aware.rs
index 04481d0..6206ae7 100644
--- a/src/router/ttl_aware.rs
+++ b/src/router/ttl_aware.rs
@@ -46,13 +46,13 @@ impl Router for TtlAwareRouter {
                 best = inst.id;
             }
         }
-        RouteDecision {
-            req_id: req.req_id,
-            mode: "ttl_aware",
-            chosen: best,
-            probe_overhead_s: 0.0,
+        crate::router::local_route_decision(
+            req.req_id,
+            "ttl_aware",
+            best,
+            0.0,
             candidates,
-            reason: "max meta_store prefix, tie -> least loaded",
-        }
+            "max meta_store prefix, tie -> least loaded",
+        )
     }
 }