Implementing BGP
Explaining BGP Concepts and Terminology
Using BGP to Connect to the Internet
What Is Multihoming?
Connecting to two or more ISPs to increase the
following:
• Reliability: If one ISP or connection fails, there is still Internet
access.
• Performance: Path selection to common Internet
destinations is better.
Example: Default Routes from All Providers
Default Routes from All Providers and
Partial Table
Example: Full Routes from All Providers
BGP Autonomous Systems
• An AS is a collection of networks under a single technical
administration.
• IGPs operate within an AS.
• BGP is used between autonomous systems.
• Exchange of loop-free routing information is guaranteed.
BGP Path-Vector Routing
• IGPs announce networks and describe the metric to reach
those networks.
• BGP announces paths and the networks that are reachable at
the end of the path. BGP describes the path by using
attributes, which are similar to metrics.
• BGP allows administrators to define policies or rules for how
data will flow through the autonomous systems.
BGP Routing Policies
BGP can support any policy conforming to the hop-
by-hop (AS-by-AS) routing paradigm.
BGP Characteristics
• BGP is most appropriate when at least one of the following conditions exists:
– An AS allows packets to transit through it to reach other autonomous
systems (for example, it is a service provider).
– An AS has multiple connections to other autonomous systems.
– Routing policy and route selection for traffic entering and leaving the AS
must be manipulated.
• BGP is not always appropriate. You do not have to use BGP if you have one of
the following conditions:
– Limited understanding of route filtering and BGP path-
selection process
– A single connection to the Internet or another AS
– Lack of memory or processor power to handle constant
updates on BGP routers
BGP Characteristics (Cont.)
BGP is a path-vector protocol with the following
enhancements over distance vector protocols:
• Reliable updates: runs on top of TCP (port 179)
• Incremental, triggered updates only
• Periodic keepalive messages to verify TCP connectivity
• Rich metrics (called path vectors or attributes)
• Designed to scale to huge internetworks (for example, the
Internet)
BGP Databases
• Neighbor table
– List of BGP neighbors
• BGP table (forwarding database)
– List of all networks learned from each neighbor
– Can contain multiple paths to destination networks
– Contains BGP attributes for each path
• IP routing table
– List of best paths to destination networks
BGP Message Types
BGP defines the following message types:
• Open
– Includes hold time and BGP router ID
• Keepalive
• Update
– Information for one path only
(could be to multiple networks)
– Includes path attributes and networks
• Notification
– When error is detected
– BGP connection closed after message is sent
Summary
• If your network is multihomed—has more than one
connection to the Internet—then using BGP to connect to
your ISPs may be appropriate.
• Multihoming options include having each ISP pass these:
– Only a default route
– A default route and provider-owned specific routes
– All routes
• BGP is the external routing protocol used between
autonomous systems. Forwarding is based on policy and not
on best path.
Summary (Cont.)
• BGP routers exchange network reachability information
called path vectors, made up of path attributes. The path-
vector information includes a list of the full path of BGP AS
numbers necessary to reach a destination network.
• A router running BGP keeps its own tables to store BGP
information that it receives from and sends to other routers,
including a neighbor table, a BGP table (also called a
forwarding database or topology database), and an IP
routing table.
• There are four BGP message types: open, keepalive, update,
and notification.
