Tutorial: BGP Techniques for Network Operators

In this NANOG presentation, Philip Smith, a senior network engineer, delves into BGP techniques for service providers, drawing from his extensive experience, including his first NANOG presentation on a similar topic in 2001. He outlines the hierarchy of routing protocols, focusing on BGP (both iBGP and eBGP), and emphasizes the importance of understanding BGP communities for implementing effective policies. Smith also touches upon scaling techniques, best practices for deploying BGP in service provider networks, and the significance of route origin validation (ROV). He shares insights on aggregation, filtering, and interconnection best practices, advocating for standardization and caution against vendor defaults, while also addressing the need for accurate documentation and community engagement to maintain a scalable and well-managed network.