Border Gateway Protocol

Description

There exist millions of small networks across the face of the earth which interconnect to the internet...

For computers and networks to communicate and share information regarding the best data routes to take for it to get to its destination, there is what you need known as the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).

We will discuss what BGP is, how it works, why it is important, and some of the basic terminology associated with it. No problem – we’ll simplify things!

BGP?

Routers communicate to each other using the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to find out the most efficient ways to transfer data between various networks across the internet.

BGP is the GPS of the Internet. It helps data packets to know the fastest and most reliable way to get from one network to another.

Why Do We Need BGP?

There exist thousands of networks building up the internet which are known as Autonomous Systems (AS). An AS can be a business, an ISP, a college, or a government agency.

Routers must know which way to forward data as it transitions among these networks. Paths change in the tremendous internet, so routers must have a method to announce changes in routing information. BGP is the protocol letting routers make decisions.

Without BGP, data would be lost or wander on lengthy detours that take too long for communication.

How does BGP work?

BGP routers communicate with each other regarding the known paths. Each path is accompanied by a list of AS numbers that the data must traverse through. It is known as the AS Path.

BGP while taking into account the multiple paths available for a router to reach a destination place sets various rules in order to select the best among them. It takes into consideration many conditions like shortest AS Path(fewer networks).

Set policy preferences which may be chosen on a per-router basis by network administrators

Once it has chosen the best path, it tells other routers about the best way to route data.

Important Words About BGP

• Autonomous System (AS): An AS number is a unique number that identifies a group of IP networks that are all run by the same company.
• AS Path: Sequence of AS numbers through which a data packet travels.
• Route Advertisement: The process by which a router makes other routers aware of the routes that are available.
• Router: A device that facilitates the transfer of data packets along networks and over the internet.

Different flavors of BGP

• External BGP (eBGP): This is how routing information is exchanged between different ASes.
• Internal BGP (iBGP): This is how routers within the same AS exchange routing information among themselves.

Why is BGP Important?

• Internet Stability: The internet is kept stable through BGP because it reacts fast to problems like that of network failure.
• Traffic Control: Helping manage the movement of information over networks based on BGP policies ensures it is much quick and secure.
• Scalability: This is because BGP can support millions of routes, just like there are that many on the entire internet.

Problems with BGP

As previously mentioned, BGP holds a crucial role in the architecture of a network, nevertheless, there are certain issues related to it:

• Security Risks: BGP was built a long time ago and without strong security features. Any erroneous routing information could trigger outages or open doors for attacks, for example, BGP hijacking scenarios.
• Confiugration: It requires BGP knowledge for configuration to be setup.
• Convergence: BGP routing tables take time to get exchanged between all routers after any change in the network.
• More new hacks come out all the time, and some security companies’ products can keep up with them.

Routers communicate using BGP or Border Gateway Protocol between networks to share routing information.

It helps data to find its way around the maze that is the Internet.

BGP uses AS numbers and AS paths to find their way somewhere.

This is very important if the Internet is going to be stable, control traffic, and grow.

There are security and configuration issues.

BGP is kind of like the traffic police for the Internet – ensuring that millions of networks can talk to each other without any issues...

It operates silently in the background, but is crucial in ensuring that your emails, videos, and websites reach you quickly and in one piece.

Content:

We learn just how complex the Internet is and the technologies keeping it together every day by learning about BGP.