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Link Window Fields

This topic describes router-specific fields in the node, link, interface, demand, and tunnel tables as well as the Application Options windows.

Table 1: Modify Link, Properties Tab / View Link, General Tab

Field

Description

File Format

Metric

IGP metric.

bblink file DIST= number DISTA2Z= number DISTZ2A= number

Tunnel Metric

Link metric as seen by tunnels. Defaults to IGP metric if not specified.

bblink file TDIST= number TDISTA2Z= number TDISTZ2A= number

Routing Instance

The OSPF routing instance or process ID associated with this link.

  
Table 2: Location Tab

Field

Description

File Format

Area

OSPF area

  

Interface A Interface Z

Interface name for source and destination nodes

bblink file

IP/Mask A IP/Mask Z

IP Address and Mask of interface A and interface Z

bblink file

Modify Link, Multicast Tab / View Link, Protocols Tab

PIM Modes:

  • SM : Sparse Mode

  • DM : Dense Mode

  • SDM :Sparse-Dense Mode

Table 3: MPLS/TE Tab

Field

Description

File Format

FRR A / FRR Z

no/yes: Specifies if there is a fast reroute backup tunnel for the Node A to Node Z direction, or vice versa.

If yes, specify the fast reroute backup tunnel.

bblink file FRR_A= backuptunnel FRR_Z= backuptunnel

Auto Bypass Parameters

  • Max Num Bypasses: Indicates the maximum number of bypass tunnels for protecting an interface. This statement enables multiple bypasses for link protection.

  • Bandwidth: Indicates the bandwidth of each of the bypass tunnels created

  • Subscription: Indicates the percentage of primary tunnel bandwidth that can be protected by each bypass tunnel. For example, setting the subscription factor to 2000 % enables a bypass tunnel of bandwidth 50K to protect a primary tunnel of bandwidth 1M.

  • Node Protection: Indicates whether the bypass tunnels created will protect a node (if on) or link (if off).

GLB Pool / RSVP

Tunnels cannot route over a link unless there is available bandwidth in the global pool.

bblink file (for Cisco GLBPOOL= bw GLBPOOLA2Z= bw GLBPOOLZ2A= bw

(for Juniper) RSVP= bw RSVPA2Z= bw RSVPZ2A= bw

SUB Pool / GB

“Guaranteed bandwidth” tunnels cannot route over a link unless there is available bandwidth in the subpool.

bblink file (for Cisco SUBPOOL= bw SUPOOLA2Z= bw SUBPOOLZ2A= bw

(for Juniper) GB= bw GB2Z= bw GBZ2A= bw

Protocols Tab

The following protocols can be enabled or disabled in the Protocol tab by selecting “yes” or “no” in the dropdown box to the right of the corresponding protocol: MPLS, OSPF, ISIS, EIGRP, IGRP, RIP, LDP, TDP. After enabling a protocol on a link, the corresponding metric (if applicable) can be set underneath the A-Z Metric and Z-A Metric columns, such as the tunnel metric for MPLS-TE and the cost for OSPF, ISIS1 and ISIS2. The metric for a given IGP protocol will be used for routing the demands if the default routing protocol is set to that protocol in the Tools > Options > Design, Path Placement options pane, Routing Method option.

Note that there are two additional entries, Metric Bandwidth and (E)IGRP delay that can also used to influence the routing metric. The Metric Bandwidth is an informational and routing parameter corresponding to the “bandwidth” statements for Cisco and Juniper interfaces. The (E)IGRP delay corresponds to the “delay” statement for Cisco interfaces.

EIGRP and IGRP metrics can be influenced by changing the Metric Bandwidth or EIGRP Delay fields. Additionally, K-values can be set from the dparam file. To change the K-values from the text file before opening the network, the following line can be added to or edited in the dparam file:

IGRP_param1= TOS:0,K1:1,K2:0,K3:1,K4:0,K5:0

For OSPF, the Metric Bandwidth will be used to calculate the routing metric only if no cost is specified. The reference bandwidth can be changed in Modify mode for Nodes in the IP tab.

For more details on the Protocols tab, see NorthStar Planner Routing Protocols Overview.

Attributes Tab

Tunnels can be prevented from routing over particular links if the link attributes, tunnel mask, and tunnel affinity are set.

CoS Policy Tab

Specify the CoS policy attached to the interface of node A (source) or node Z (destination). .

PBR (Policy Based Routing) Tab

Lists the route maps used for policy based routing. For more details on PBR..

Modify Link, VoIP Tab / View Link, Protocols Tab

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