BGP convergence in virtual private networks

Multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) virtual private networks (VPNs) have had significant and growing commercial deployments. In this paper we present the first systematic study of BGP convergence in MPLS VPNs using data collected from a large tier-1 ISP. We combine several data sources to produce a methodology to accurately estimate routing convergence delays. We discovered an iBGP version of BGP path exploration, and show that the route invisibility problem occurs frequently and is one of the most significant contributing factors to BGP convergence delay in the VPNs we studied. We therefore propose and evaluate several configuration changes that can be employed to greatly improve the routing convergence time and minimize the connectivity disruption in the face of network changes. Categories and Subject Descriptors C.2 [Computer Communication Networks]: Network protocols, Network operations General Terms Measurement, Performance Keywords BGP, MPLS VPN, Routing Convergence

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: IMC
• Authors: Dan Pei, Jacobus E. van der Merwe
• Keywords: BGP Convergence, Convergence Delay, IMC 2006, Mpls Vpn