Routing protocols are essential tools for directing data traffic across networks. The two popular routing protocols used today are Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). Both have their advantages and disadvantages, which network administrators should consider when selecting the protocol that best fits their organization’s needs.
What is IGP?
Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) is a protocol used for routing data within an autonomous system. An autonomous system is a group of interconnected networks that shares common administrative control and shares routing policies. IGP’s primary role is to find the best route between network devices within a particular network. IGPs are used to provide a more efficient network routing by avoiding congested or failed links.
Pros of IGP
One of the biggest strengths of IGP is its simplicity and ease of use. IGPs, like OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) and EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol), are designed to be easy to implement and maintain. They are also very reliable in detecting and dealing with link failures or other issues that can impact network performance.
Another advantage of IGP is that it provides reasonable scalability. As an organization’s network grows, it can easily adjust its routing policies and parameters without requiring significant changes to the backbone structure. IGP is a good choice for smaller organizations or those with less complex network operational needs.
Cons of IGP
IGP has a few limitations when it comes to routing across multiple autonomous systems. IGPs are designed to work within a single autonomous system, which means that they become less effective when networks become more complex or interconnected. IGPs also do not have many capabilities for enforcing policies or controlling access, which may be necessary in certain organizations.
IGPs also lack some of the advanced features and capabilities provided by BGP, such as traffic engineering or route reflectors. For organizations that require this level of functionality, IGP may not be adequate.
What is BGP?
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is a protocol used for routing data between multiple autonomous systems. BGP determines the best route based on various factors like network policy rules, bandwidth, and path length. BGP is popularly used by internet service providers, e-commerce websites, and other large organizations that require complex routing capabilities.
Pros of BGP
BGP provides significant flexibility and control over network routing, which is necessary in complex environments. It offers the capability to manipulate traffic to different points of the network based on various rules such as network uptime, performance, cost, and network policies.
Another advantage of BGP is its robustness. BGP is ideal for networks with high availability requirements due to its ability to detect and recover from certain failures.
Cons of BGP
One of the main downsides of BGP is its complexity. BGP is not easy to implement or maintain, and its deployment requires advanced knowledge and expertise. Large networks with distributed architecture can take considerable time for the network administrators to get the setup right.
Another disadvantage of BGP is its scalability issues. A large number of BGP routers can cause significant network congestion, which can slow down network performance.
Conclusion
Both IGP and BGP have their place in network routing. The best protocol for an organization depends on the network structure, complexity, and specific needs. IGPs are simple to use, maintain, and operate, which makes them ideal for smaller organizations or less complex networks. On the other hand, BGP offers more advanced capabilities but requires more knowledge and expertise to be implemented correctly. Ultimately, the decision comes down to what is best for the organization’s specific needs.