Advertisement of Multiple Paths in BGP
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D. Walton, A. Retana, E. Chen, J. Scudder · 2016-07
Abstract
RFC 7911 defines the ADD-PATH capability for BGP, allowing a BGP speaker to advertise multiple paths for the same prefix to a peer instead of only the single best path. Each path is distinguished by a Path Identifier field prepended to the NLRI. ADD-PATH enables better route diversity for BGP-based Fast Reroute and improves path distribution in route-reflector topologies.
Why This RFC Matters
Traditional BGP advertises only the best path per prefix, which can cause suboptimal convergence and hidden path problems in route-reflector clusters. ADD-PATH allows route reflectors to advertise all viable paths to clients, enabling clients to perform their own best-path selection and maintain backup paths for instant failover. It is widely deployed in carrier and data-center networks to improve resilience and eliminate route oscillation caused by information hiding in reflector hierarchies.