FW: Odd BGP AS Path

Wed Sep 22 16:42:22 UTC 2010

Randy Bush wrote (on Wed 22-Sep-2010 at 16:31 +0100):
....
> > Probably a silly question, but can anyone explain to me this:
> > 3561 3356 9031 {35821,35821,35821,35821} i

I suppose it could be trying to convey the aggregation of four routes
from 35821 ?

Or perhaps an AS with multiple personality disorder ?

Or an aggregator with a sssstaaammer.

> please support draft-wkumari-deprecate-as-sets-00.txt

It seems to me that this is really deprecating the aggregation of
routes by BGP, except where the result is an existing less specific
route ?

That obviously means that AS_SET would not be necessary, but as an
effect rather than the cause.

One could also dump the AGGREGATOR and the AS4_AGGREGATOR attributes
in the nearest waste bin.

AND it would simplify the merging of AS_PATH and AS4_PATH attributes,
which is a complete dogs breakfast... because it tries, in vain, to
finesse its way out of the problem of an AS2 speaker aggregating
routes with AS4_PATHs !  [Made even more galling by the sure and
certain knowledge that aggregated routes are as exquisitely rare as
they are useful.]

And what about the truly, madly, deeply useless AS_CONFED_SET ?  [A
carbuncle's carbuncle if ever I saw one.]

Vote early and vote often, say I.

Chris