[193360] in North American Network Operators' Group
BGP Route Reflector - Route Server, Router, etc
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Justin Krejci)
Thu Jan 12 15:32:52 2017
X-Original-To: nanog@nanog.org
From: Justin Krejci <JKrejci@usinternet.com>
To: =?windows-1256?Q?NANOG_=FD=5Bnanog=40nanog=2Eorg=5D=FD?= <nanog@nanog.org>
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2017 20:32:44 +0000
X-Securence-RFC2821-MAIL-FROM: jkrejci@usinternet.com
Errors-To: nanog-bounces@nanog.org
Nanog,
I am working on some network designs and am adding some additional routers =
to a BGP network. I'd like to build a plan of changing all of the existing =
routers over from full iBGP mesh to something more scalable (ie route refle=
ction). Fortunately, I am also going to be able to decommission some older =
routers from the network and so shrinking the existing iBGP full mesh is so=
mething I am all too happy to spend time and energy on.
For the purpose of this thread though, I am not really interested in the ro=
ute reflector vs confederation discussion.
In doing some research[1][2][3][4][5] I see a lot of discussions, config ex=
amples, etc on using route reflectors but most suggest picking a router, or=
more appropriately a set of routers, to become route reflectors within an =
ASN. I have not found many resources discussing using a non-router box as a=
route reflector (ie a device not necessarily in the forwarding path of the=
through traffic). I am thinking things like OpenBGPd and BIRD could make a=
good route reflector though they are most often discussed in the context o=
f IXPs (ie eBGP sessions).
I am wondering if people can point me in the direction to some good resourc=
e material on how to select a good BGP route reflector design. Should I jus=
t dust off some 7206VXR routers to act as route reflectors? Use a few exist=
ing live routers and just add the responsibility of being route reflectors,=
is there a performance hit? Install and run BIRD on new server hardware? B=
uy some newer purpose built routers (Cisco, Juniper, Brocade, etc) to act a=
s route reflectors and add them to the iBGP topology? GNS3 running IOS on s=
erver hardware? Something else? How many reflectors should be implemented? =
Two? Four?
What are the pros and cons of one design over another? On list or private o=
ff list replies would be great; I'd welcome real world experiences (especia=
lly any big gotchas or caveats people learned the hard way) as well as just=
links to previous discussions, PDFs, slideshows, etc. Heck even a good boo=
k suggestion that covers this topic would be appreciated.
[1] - iBGP-to-RR migration slideshow: http://meetings.ripe.net/ripe-42/pres=
entations/ripe42-eof-bgp/sld015.html
[2] - General RR design issues: http://www.netcraftsmen.com/bgp-route-refle=
ctor-design-issues/
[3] - Video intro to RR from Cisco: http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/traini=
ng-events/le31/le46/cln/qlm/CCIP/bgp/introducing-route-reflectors-2/player.=
html
[4] - Quagga and BIRD as RR example: https://bsdrp.net/documentation/exampl=
es/bgp_route_reflector_and_confederation_using_quagga_and_bird
[5] - Countless hours on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu=
ery=3Dbgp+route+reflector
Lots more data is out there of course as that is part of my problem.
Thanks!
Justin
