Category: Routing and Peering

BGP flapping is a phenomenon that occurs when a route repeatedly alternates between availability and unavailability, causing instability in the internet’s routing infrastructure. This behavior can lead to increased convergence times, degraded performance, and even temporary outages for affected networks. Debugging BGP flaps is a critical task for network operators, requiring a methodical approach to…

The exhaustion of IPv4 addresses is a significant milestone in the evolution of the internet, with far-reaching implications for domains, networks, and global connectivity. IPv4, the fourth version of the Internet Protocol, has been the backbone of internet communication since its inception in the early 1980s. With a theoretical limit of approximately 4.3 billion unique…

The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the cornerstone of inter-domain routing, responsible for determining how traffic traverses the internet. At its core, BGP relies on a set of rules and attributes to select the most optimal path among multiple available routes. Understanding the step-by-step process of BGP path selection is essential for network engineers, as…

Establishing a point of presence (POP) in a remote region is a critical step for network operators, content providers, and enterprises seeking to expand their geographic reach, improve service delivery, and enhance connectivity. A POP serves as a localized hub for routing, caching, and delivering internet traffic, bringing services closer to end users in underserved…

The internet’s decentralized nature, while enabling global connectivity, also creates significant challenges in securing its routing infrastructure. The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), which facilitates the exchange of routing information between autonomous systems (ASes), was not designed with robust security features. This lack of inherent safeguards makes BGP vulnerable to issues such as route hijacking, route…

Default routing is a fundamental concept in network design, often employed as a simple and efficient way to direct traffic to its destination when a more specific route is not available in a router’s routing table. By configuring a default route, a network operator ensures that packets with unknown destinations are forwarded to a designated…

The choice between hardware routers and software routers is a critical decision in network design and operation, with significant implications for performance, scalability, cost, and flexibility. Both approaches have distinct advantages and limitations, making them suitable for different use cases and environments. Understanding the differences between hardware and software routers, as well as their respective…

Route servers have become a critical component of the global internet’s interconnection infrastructure, transforming how networks exchange traffic at internet exchange points (IXPs) and beyond. By acting as centralized facilitators for route sharing, route servers simplify peering relationships, reduce administrative complexity, and enhance the efficiency of traffic exchange. As the internet continues to grow in…

DNS-based routing decisions play a critical role in modern internet architecture, enabling dynamic and intelligent traffic management based on various parameters such as user location, server availability, and network performance. The Domain Name System (DNS) is a fundamental component of the internet, translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses. However, beyond its primary function of…

NetFlow and sFlow are powerful technologies that enable the collection of network traffic data, providing deep insights into traffic patterns, performance, and security for domain operators. These tools are instrumental in domain analytics, helping organizations monitor, optimize, and secure their networks. By collecting and analyzing flow data, domain operators can gain visibility into how traffic…