ATTRIBUTE SET_ID IN BORDER GATEWAY PROTOCOL

摘要

Present disclosure relates to methods for preparing BGP update messages for transmission and processing received update messages. The methods are based on grouping path attributes common to a plurality of IP address prefixes into respective sets identified with respective set identifiers and, instead of duplicating path attributes in each BGP update message, including a respective identifier referring to a certain set of path attributes provided in an earlier BGP update message when sending subsequent update messages. Grouping of path attributes into individual sets associated with respective identifiers provides significant advantages by enabling re-use of the results of previous processing on both the sending and receiving sides associated with transmission of BGP update messages. In addition, such an approach limits the amount of information transmitted in the control plane because duplicate sets of path attributes may only be transmitted once and merely be referred to in subsequent update messages.

主权项

1. A method for preparing Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update messages for transmission, the method comprising:
identifying a first plurality of Internet Protocol (IP) address prefixes associated with a first set of two or more common path attributes; assigning a first identifier to the first set of two or more common path attributes; preparing a first BGP update message by including in the first BGP update message the first identifier in addition to the first set of two or more common path attributes; and preparing a second BGP update message by including in the second BGP update message the first identifier instead of the first set of two or more common path attributes.