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Routing Simulations - Zebra Routing Software: Eric Ciocca Dimitris Zacharopoulos

The document compares routing simulation software (Zebra and SSFNet) to physical routers. It finds that simulation allows testing new configurations without disrupting production networks and is more cost effective than using physical routers. The testing showed that both Zebra and SSFNet successfully exchanged routing information and simulated BGP peering between virtual routers, though some issues with route reflection remained in Zebra.

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Youssef Addi
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66 views23 pages

Routing Simulations - Zebra Routing Software: Eric Ciocca Dimitris Zacharopoulos

The document compares routing simulation software (Zebra and SSFNet) to physical routers. It finds that simulation allows testing new configurations without disrupting production networks and is more cost effective than using physical routers. The testing showed that both Zebra and SSFNet successfully exchanged routing information and simulated BGP peering between virtual routers, though some issues with route reflection remained in Zebra.

Uploaded by

Youssef Addi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Routing Simulations – Zebra

Routing Software

Eric Ciocca
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
1
Overview
 Current Routing simulators
 Routing Software
 Benefits of simulators
 Limitations
 Testing the two software packages
 Conclusion

2
Current Routing Simulators
 Java SSFNet (SSF)
– Supports BGP (among others)
– Runs in Java
 NS-2
– Multicast, various algorithmic routings
 Cnet
– Simulates general hosts/routers

3
Routing Software
 Regular Routers
– I.O.S. (Cisco’s Operating System)
 Under Unix O.S.
– In.routed (typical unix routing daemon)
– Gated (Another unix daemon)
– Zebra
 Under Windows OS
– Integrated routing service
4
Routing Software (cont.)
 Unix Routing Software
– Routed
• supports only RIP and static routes
– Gated
• Static, RIP, OSPF, BGP4, IPv6
• Difficult configuration
– Zebra
• BGP, RIP, RIPng, OSPF v2, v3, IPv6
• Easy CLI, just like Cisco’s IOS

5
Zebra Routing Software
 Zebra makes your computer a router!
– And a Gateway router too!!
 Benefits
– Test new configurations
• New routing policies
• New protocols
– Don’t disturb the production network
– Use cheap PCs instead of expensive
routers

6
Zebra Architecture

Zebra
BGPd RIPd OSPFd routing
manager

UNIX Kernel

7
Zebra features
 Features
– Can handle unlimited # of Interfaces
– One process per one protocol
– Route Server & Route Reflector
integrated
– Multithread based technology
– Policy control and filtering

8
The testing setup
 For our experiments we use:
– 2 Solaris with two Ethernet cards each
– 1 Cisco 2514
– Zebra version 0.89

Cisco Solaris Solaris


Router Router B Router C
AS400 AS2525 AS2525

9
Concept behind our test bed
 We want to compare the communication:
– Router – zebra
– Zebra – zebra
– Router – router
 What to test:
– Bgp4 sessions, (routing updates, keepalive)
– Route reflection
– Default route propagation

10
Software simulation of BGP4
 BGP simulation is a part of the
SSFNet simulator
– Allows simulation of arbitrarily sized
networks
– Incorporates most major features of
BGP
• Most recently added, route reflection

11
Benefits of BGP Simulation
 We are not restrained by physical
hardware
– We are able to simulate very large,
elaborate networks
– No purchasing of routers to test layout
– No modification of real routers to test
changes in policy

12
SSFNet Specifics
 SSF=Scalable Simulation Framework
 SSFNet Supports multiple protocols
(OSPF, BGP4, TCP, IP, custom) and
network entities (NIC, host, router)
 Java SSFNet requires JDK1.2 or higher
 DML models are system independent
 Requires a discrete-event simulation
kernel
– A simulated one is available for free from
Renesys
13
Simulated BGP4 Features
 iBGP / eBGP are both supported
– iBGP supports route reflection
– Does not support confererations
 Policy (route filtering) is mostly
implemented but untested
 Update handing is fully implemented

14
What we have accomplished
 For the physical simulations:
– Successfully achieved BGP peering
between all machines
– Added some static routes
– Exchange routing information
– Debug the protocols used
– Used both eBGP and iBGP

15
What we have accomplished
 For the software simulations:
– Successfully simulated BGP peering
between virtual routers
– Exchanged routing information between
BGP peers
– Used both eBGP and iBGP
– Simulated route reflection in a medium-
scale network
16
A quick example
 Route propagation from left to right

X Y Z
X

17
SSFNet Results
~#
~# = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
~# PROPAGATION Validation Test: successful if five steps
printed below
~# = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
~#
~# 1. AS X: sent route advertisement to AS Y
~# 2. AS Y: received advertisement from AS X
~# 3. AS Y: sending update to AS Z
~# 4. AS Z: received update from AS Y
~# 5. AS Z: route added to forwarding table
~# *** TEST SUCCESSFUL ***
~# -----------------------------------------------------------
| 1 timelines, 5 barriers, 126 events, 365 ms, 1 Kevt/s
--------------------------------------------------------------

18
Real network results

19
TO DO
 Route reflections
– Some problems with IBGP behavior
 Override kernel routes
– We are unable to make changes to routes that
were installed by the kernel before we run zebra
– Need to check if this is regular behavior
 Test bad gadget if we find more equipment..

20
Conclusion
 Zebra is far better than any other
routing software
 One process for each protocol
 Dynamic configuration changes
 Interactive queries (supports bgp
regexp table lookups)

21
Conclusion
 So far, the SSFNet simulator behaves
the same as a “real” network of BGP
peers
 Java SSFNet is a portable,
lightweight simulator which can
replace real-router modification for
network experimentation

22
Thank You!
 Zebra
– http://www.zebra.org
 SSFNet
– http://www.ssfnet.org

23

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