External Border Gateway Protocol
From Bandipedia
EBGP is the acronym for External Border Gateway Protocol, a routing protocol that allows multiple antonymous systems, such as a telecom carrier’s backbone network, to communicate and broadcast routes over the counterpart’s network.
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EBGP - Requirements to Implement
Antonymous System Number (AS#)
EBGP requires the broadcasting user have an ASN. The user must contact ARIN to obtain an ASN.
Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)
EBGP will require special equipment to implement. A router with multiple WAN interfaces such as a Cisco 3725 or a Tasman 1004-2 will terminate the circuits. The router must then have the on-board configuration ability to operate BGP. It also must be powerful enough to store and access the routing tables of each carrier network loaded into it with great speed.
The Benefits of EBGP
There are several benefits for the end user and even some applications that require the use of BGP.
EBGP and Redundancy
EBGP may be required for applications that require a redundant carrier network. In this scenario, EBGP is configured to fail-over to a secondary network if the primary network is off-line or congested. Having a redundant path allows the user to have access to the internet even if their primary carrier goes down.
EBGP and Least Cost Routing
Least cost routing may also be an important application driving the need for an EBGP configuration. When a router has access to multiple internet backbones it is empowered to chose the best and quickest possible route to its destination. In a scenario where milliseconds matter, such as financial trading, EBGP and least cost routing is an important part of a network.
EBGP and Scalability
In some cases, a growing company may have a contractual obligation with a carrier that they are transitioning away from for untold reasons. If they need to add an additional circuit to their network, EBGP allows them to purchase a T1 from an alternate source and use them simultaneously. This example illustrates the scalability features of EBGP. Allowing a company to grow incrementally without exponentially increasing costs is the definition of scalability.
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