IPv6 Routing Protocols

The JUNOS software implements IP routing functionality, providing support for IP Version 6 (IPv6). The routing protocols have been developed to provide the scale and control necessary for the Internet core.

The software supports the following unicast routing protocols:

• BGP—Border Gateway Protocol version 4, is an exterior gateway protocol (EGP) that guarantees loop-free exchange of routing information between routing domains (also called autonomous systems). BGP, in conjunction with JUNOS routing policies, provides a system of administrative checks and balances that can be used to implement peering and transit agreements.
• ICMP—Internet Control Message Protocol router discovery allows hosts to discover the addresses of operational routers on the subnet.
• IS-IS—Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System is a link-state interior gateway protocol (IGP) for IP networks that uses the shortest-path-first (SPF) algorithm, which also is referred to as the Dijkstra algorithm, to determine routes. The JUNOS software supports a new and complete implementation of the protocol, addressing issues of scale, convergence, and resilience.
• OSPF version 3 (OSPFv3) supports version 6 of the Internet Protocol (IPv6). The fundamental mechanisms of OSPF such as flooding, Designated Router (DR) election, area based topologies and the Shortest Path First (SPF) calculations remain unchanged. Some differences exist either due to changes in protocol semantics between IPv4 and IPv6, or to handle the increased address size of IPv6.
• RIP—Routing Information Protocol version 2 is an IGP for IP networks based on the Bellman-Ford algorithm. RIP is a distance-vector protocol. RIP dynamically routes packets between a subscriber and a service provider without the subscriber having to configure BGP or to participate in the service provider's IGP discovery process.