6PE Multipath

The 6PE multipath feature uses multiprotocol internal BGP (MP-iBGP) to distribute IPv6 routes over the MPLS IPv4 core network and to attach an MPLS label to each route

Information About 6PE Multipath

6PE Multipath

Internal and external BGP multipath for IPv6 allows the IPv6 device to load balance between several paths (for example, the same neighboring autonomous system or subautonomous system, or the same metric) to reach its destination. The 6PE multipath feature uses MP-iBGP to distribute IPv6 routes over the MPLS IPv4 core network and to attach an MPLS label to each route.

When MP-iBGP multipath is enabled on the 6PE device, all labeled paths are installed in the forwarding table with MPLS information (label stack) when MPLS information is available. This functionality enables 6PE to perform load balancing.

How to Configure 6PE Multipath

Configuring IBGP Multipath Load Sharing

Perform this task to configure IBGP multipath load sharing and control the maximum number of parallel IBGP routes that can be installed in a routing table.

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. router bgp as-number
  4. address-family ipv6 [unicast ]
  5. maximum-paths ibgp number-of-paths

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

enable

Example:


Device> enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.

Step 2

configure terminal

Example:


Device# configure terminal

Enters global configuration mode.

Step 3

router bgp as-number

Example:


Device(config)# router bgp 65000

Enters router configuration mode for the specified routing process.

Step 4

address-family ipv6 [unicast ]

Example:


Device(config-router)# address-family ipv6

Specifies the IPv6 address family and enters address family configuration mode.

  • The unicast keyword specifies the IPv6 unicast address family. By default, the device is placed in configuration mode for the IPv6 unicast address family if the unicast keyword is not specified with the address-family ipv6 command.

Step 5

maximum-paths ibgp number-of-paths

Example:


Device(config-router)# maximum-paths ibgp 3

Controls the maximum number of parallel IBGP routes that can be installed in a routing table.

Configuration Examples for 6PE Multipath

Example: Configuring 6PE Multipath

Device# show ipv6 cef internals
IPv6 CEF is enabled and running
Slow processing intvl = 1 seconds backoff level current/max 0/0
0 unresolved prefixes, 0 requiring adjacency update
IPv6 CEF default table
14 prefixes tableid 0
table version 17
root 6283F5D0

Additional References

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

IPv6 addressing and connectivity

IPv6 Configuration Guide

Cisco IOS commands

Master Commands List, All Releases

IPv6 commands

IPv6 Command Reference

Cisco IOS IPv6 features

IPv6 Feature Mapping

Standards and RFCs

Standard/RFC

Title

RFCs for IPv6

IPv6 RFCs

Technical Assistance

Description

Link

The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides online resources to download documentation, software, and tools. Use these resources to install and configure the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html

Feature Information for 6PE Multipath

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.
Table 1. Feature Information for 6PE Multipath

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

6PE Multipath

The 6PE multipath feature uses MP-iBGP to distribute IPv6 routes over the MPLS IPv4 core network and to attach an MPLS label to each route.

The following commands were introduced or modified: maximum-paths ibgp , router bgp , show ipv6 cef internals .