RE: [nsp] Multi-Homing without BGP

From: Greene, Patrick (PJGreene@infotechent.net)
Date: Fri Oct 13 2000 - 10:52:37 EDT


Jose,
I would not recommend doing a per-packet load balancing out to 2 links to 2
different ISP's. This will cause extreme unpredictablity in response times
and make troubleshooting next to impossible. I do not know how complex your
environment is but if you want to have any control as to how the traffic is
load balanced you could do the following, it will also provide better
results in the event of a link failure. Without a routing protocol this is
a pain.

(Note:This is really for a large environment with multiple Class C's)
1) Route half your address space out 1 ISP and setup a floating static route
for those same addresses to go out the other link. Do this for the other
address space and ISP B
2) Coordinate with your ISP's to do the same on their side, such that if you
route Address Range xxx to ISP A then ISP A is advertising Address Range xxx
so you don't get a circular route (ie traffic goes out ISP A but comes into
ISP B). Also have them set up a floating static to the ISP B link in the
event of a link failure on ISP A. Now do this with ISP B.

Once this is done you can monitor the link usage going to each ISP and load
balance the address ranges to change the utilization.

Patrick



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