Re: BGP user friendliness (was Re: IPv4 flag day)

[Brian Knight via NANOG <nanog () lists nanog org>]

So, to summarize the responses so far:

* We don't want uninformed users to multihome using BGP because it is 
difficult (which is a very fair statement)
* We want them to use NAT44 or NAT66 or NPT or PAT
* Servers in IP ranges that need to be multihomed could also use QUIC or 
DNS to provide multipath connections

I know from experience that VPN tunnels (or SD-WAN) are another option.

I'm not necessarily advocating that world + dog use BGP for multihoming. 
I'm making the point that true multihoming is out of reach for many 
small shops. And that's by design. No one is working to make using BGP 
easier.

I'm now convinced that the proverbial ship has sailed. NAT had to be 
developed for IPv6. It will be used. It is here to stay. The "NAT is 
cancer" statement is old hat and no longer relevant.

I have never deployed IPv6 NAT for multihoming, but I have deployed IPv4 
NAT/PAT for it.

If deploying IPv6 NAT is as difficult as folks say, it's time to make it 
simpler so SMBs can do what they already know how to do.

They have few alternatives, and NAT is going to be among the least 
costly options.

-Brian


On 2026-06-21 22:22, Brian Knight via NANOG wrote:
> Is there any current effort underway to make BGP more accessible, 
> user-friendly, or "plug and play?" Anything that might address some of 
> the more technically demanding aspects of multihoming?
>
> Quick Google says no, but maybe someone has more awareness.
>
> I'm pipe-dreaming BGP multihoming becoming as simple as connecting two 
> Internet links to a CPE, with no reduction in MTU. No SD-WAN, no 
> tunnels, no NAT. Works over any kind of link: 5G, wifi, GPON, cable, 
> fiber, carrier pigeon.
>
> CPE vendors might set up web pages that request IPs and an ASN for you. 
> Sets up ROAs, IRR, and the CPE, start to finish.
>
> Maybe there's a new protocol where the carrier auto-generates a BGP 
> multihoming token and sends it to the user in the order docs. User sets 
> the token on the CPE interface facing that provider. Successful 
> negotiation lets the customer announce their prefix and ASN. CPE and 
> carrier manage it all, no network staff needed.
>
> -Brian
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