Troubleshooting BGP: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Troubleshooting BGP

The definitive guide to troubleshooting today’s complex BGP networks

This is today’s best single source for the techniques you need to troubleshoot BGP issues in modern Cisco IOS, IOS XR, and NxOS environments. BGP has expanded from being an Internet routing protocol and provides a scalable control plane for a variety of technologies, including MPLS VPNs and VXLAN. Bringing together content previously spread across multiple sources, Troubleshooting BGP describes BGP functions in today’s blended service provider and enterprise environments.

Two expert authors emphasize the BGP-related issues you’re most likely to encounter in real-world deployments, including problems that have caused massive network outages. They fully address convergence and scalability, as well as common concerns such as BGP slow peer, RT constraint filtering, and missing BGP routes. For each issue, key concepts are presented, along with basic configuration, detailed troubleshooting methods, and clear illustrations. Wherever appropriate, OS-specific behaviors are described and analyzed.

Troubleshooting BGP is an indispensable technical resource for all consultants, system/support engineers, and operations professionals working with BGP in even the largest, most complex environments.

· Quickly review the BGP protocol, configuration, and commonly used features

· Master generic troubleshooting methodologies that are relevant to BGP networks

· Troubleshoot BGP peering issues, flapping peers, and dynamic BGP peering

· Resolve issues related to BGP route installation, path selection, or route policies

· Avoid and fix convergence problems

· Address platform issues such as high CPU or memory usage

· Scale BGP using route reflectors, diverse paths, and other advanced features

· Solve problems with BGP edge architectures, multihoming, and load balancing

· Secure BGP inter-domain routing with RPKI

· Mitigate DDoS attacks with RTBH and BGP Flowspec

· Understand common BGP problems with MPLS Layer 3 or Layer 2 VPN services

· Troubleshoot IPv6 BGP for service providers, including 6PE and 6VPE

· Overcome problems with VXLAN BGP EVPN data center deployments

· Fully leverage BGP High Availability features, including GR, NSR, and BFD

· Use new BGP enhancements for link-state distribution or tunnel setup

This book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press, which offers networking professionals valuable information for constructing efficient networks, understanding new technologies, and building successful careers.

Vinit Jain, 4X CCIE #22854 is a Technical Lead in HTTS (High Touch Technical Services) team supporting customers in areas of routing, MPLS, TE, IPv6, multicast issues on IOS, IOS XE, IOS XR and NxOS code base. Vinit has been delivering trainings within Cisco on various technology as well as platform troubleshooting topics. He is also a speaker at Cisco Live on Troubleshooting BGP. Vinit is also one of the top Contributors on Cisco Support Community and is also a regular speaker delivering webcasts on various topics. Vinit has expertise in troubleshooting Service Provider, Enterprise and Data Center environments and holds multiple certifications on programming and databases along with CCIE.