Do Not Complicate Routing Security with Voodoo Economics

Mon Sep 5 05:06:13 UTC 2011

On Sep 5, 2011, at 11:55 AM, Dobbins, Roland wrote:

> Origin validation <> path validation.

Rather, that should read, 'Origin/path validation <> origin/path enforcement'.

The idea of origin validation is a simple one.  The idea of path validation isn't to determine the 'correctness' or 'desirability' of a particular AS-path, but rather to determine the *validity* (or at least the *feasability*) of a given AS-path.  

Origin validation is relatively easy compared to AS-path validation, and origin validation is the most important function of S*BGP.  And in a world with universal origin and AS-path validation, how is there some economic advantage to be had by deploying S*BGP?  

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Roland Dobbins <rdobbins at arbor.net> // <http://www.arbornetworks.com>

		The basis of optimism is sheer terror.

			  -- Oscar Wilde