RFC2042 - Registering New BGP Attribute Types

　　Network Working Group B. Manning
Request for Comments: 2042 ISI
Category: Informational January 1997

Registering New BGP Attribute Types

Status of this Memo

This memo PRovides information for the Internet community. This memo
does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of
this memo is unlimited.

Process:

This document describes the process for creating new BGP attribute
type codes. Basic attribute type codes are described in RFC1771,
pages 12 through 15. These, and new attribute type codes that are
used in the Internet are registered with the IANA.

The actual process will involve the documentation of sUCh attribute
type codes in an RFC. There is no intention of segmenting the code
space into public/private or ip/OSI or any other sectioning.

As each attribute type code is in the process of being developed, it
will use an octet value of 255, which will be reserved for this use.
At the time an attribute type code is assigned a number by the IANA,
the documetnation and code base will be updated to reflect the
authorized attribute type code value.

IANA maintained values will be published in the periodically updated
Assigned Numbers RFC[6]. Requests for assignment of a new attribute
type code should be sent to the IANA ([email protected]) with a subject
that includes the phrase "BGP Attribute Type".

Currently in use attribute type codes are listed below:

Value Code Reference

1 ORIGIN [1]
2 AS_PATH [1]
3 NEXT_HOP [1]
4 MULTI_EXIT_DISC [1]
5 LOCAL_PREF [1]
6 ATOMIC_AGGREGATE [1]
7 AGGREGATOR [1]
8 COMMUNITY [2]
9 ORIGINATOR_ID [3]
10 CLUSTER_LIST [3]
11 DPA [4]
12 ADVERTISER [5]
13 RCID_PATH / CLUSTER_ID [5]
...
255 reserved for development

Security Considerations

Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

References

[1] Rekhter, Y., and Li, T., "A Border Gateway Protocol 4 (BGP-4)",
RFC1771, March 1995.

[2] Chandra, R., Traina, P., and T. Li, "BGP Communities
Attribute", RFC1997, August 1996.

[3] Bates, T., Chandra, R, "BGP Route Reflection An alternative
to full mesh IBGP", RFC1998, June 1996.

[4] Chen, E., Bates, T., "Destination Preference Attribute for BGP",
Work in progress, March 1996.

[5] HaSKIN, D., "A BGP/IDRP Route Server alternative to a full mesh
routing", RFC1863, October 1995.

[6] Reynolds, J., and J. Postel, "Assigned Numbers", STD 2, RFC1700,
ISI, October 1994.

Author's Address

Bill Manning
USC/ISI
4676 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA. 90292

Phone: 01.310.822.1511
EMail: [email protected]