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Re: peering tools

  • From: HANSEN CHAN
  • Date: Sun Apr 09 19:21:59 2000

Hello Sean,

Sean Donelan wrote:

> On Fri, 07 April 2000, Scott Call wrote:
> > As we (ATG) are about to move into PAIX, SIX, and MAE-East ATM, I wanted
> > to ask what the members of Nanog used to manage their peering with
> > others (software wise).   Currently we are all Cisco based, but Juniper
> > and others are also eventualities.
> >
> >     I've looked at the RtConfig program and it seems like a place to
> > start, but I get the feeling that this is not the method most use.
>
> Most folks configure provider-to-provider BGP peering sessions manually.
>
> Fortunately they change fairly infrequently.  A few use some automated
> tools to push and collect router configurations, and macro or script
> tools like M4 and Perl.  Even fewer use RtConfig or other database driven
> configuration tools.  ANS had the closest to fully automated their peering
> configurations, but they're gone now.
>
> The basic problem is most providers have homegrown systems which can't
> share data with other providers.  RPSL/IRRDB are attempts to communicate
> the information between providers, but generally different providers use
> very different forms and procedures.  Sprint used a completely different
> method of exchanging information about BGP configutions than Cable&Wireless
> does.  So if you peer with 50 different people, you may have 55 different
> processes (yes, some providers have more than one process even within their
> own company).

To make sure I understand your message, do you mean RPSL/IRR are not used by
most of the providers? Do they really have to configure manual line by line
using CLI? I heard otherwise from some other people (who might not be entirely
correct :-)

I'm trying to understand how BGP4 policy are being configured by ISPs. Your
input is highly appreciated.

>
>
> I suspect Randy will explain its not a problem with Verio, but Verio is
> a exception.