Segment Routing
-What is segment Routing?
Segment Routing is a flexible, scalable way of doing source routing. The
source chooses a path and encodes it in the packet header as an ordered
list of segments.
Segment Routing relies on some extensions of OSPFv2 (or ISIS). (no need
for LDP or RSVP).
The path state doesn’t have to be stored in a router. Instead, the packet’s
path is kept in the packet header. So the network doesn’t have to store SR-
encoded flows.
(Segment Routing is not a new protocol, it is just an IGP with a new header).
-A router in a Segment Routing network is capable of selecting any path to
forward traffic:
1) Based on IGP shortest path.
2) Explicit path.
-Each router and each link has an associated segment ID (SID). There are
3 kinds of SIDs:
1) Prefix SID: represents the IGP shortest path to a specific prefix or
subnet.
2) Node SID: special form of prefix ID using for routers loopback IPs.
3) Adjacency SID: a link between two routers.
Green: prefix labels
Blue: node labels
Red: Adjacency label
Traditional MPLS network:
in this example, Routers A,B,C and D are in MPLS domain. We assume
that they are running OSPF and LDP protocols. We need to reach a path
from router X to router Z.
in control plane, router D sets a local label for router Z with value (Implicit
null) as it is the last end that direct connected to the destination (PHP) and
send this information to router C. Router C sets a local label value of 300
for router Z and send this information to router B which makes the same
and send a local label of 200 to router A.
in data plane, an IP packet is received to router A with a destination IP of
router Z. Router A looks up in LFIB table and push a label 200 out of
interface AB. Router B looks up in LFIB table and will swap to label 300 out
of interface BC. Router D will make a pop of label based on the implicit null
received earlier and then router D will receive an IP packet.
Example on IGP shortest path using Segment Routing:
in this example we need to reach router E from router A using IGP shortest
path. Each router has a node label of 16xxx. Our destination router E has a
label of 16005.
The shortest IGP path in this example is A-B-E so the operator creates a
path in the packet header as 16005. 16005 is the node SID of router E
which represents the IGP shortest path to reach it. Router A searches in
FIB table for 16005. Router A will get out interface AB based on FIB table.
Router A swap the label of 16005 with the same value to router B.
Router B receives a label of 16005. He knows from FIB table it is a direct
connected to router E so he will pop the label and send the packet to router
E.
Example on Explicit path using Segment Routing:
in this examples, we need to reach from router A to router E through Router
D. The operator in this case will create a path in the packet header contains
16004 and 16005. 16004 is node SID of router D and represents the IGP
shortest path to router D, and 16005 is the node SID of router E and
represents the IGP shortest path to reach router E from router D.
Router A will send the packet to router C out of interface AC based on FIB
table. It swaps with the same label value 16004. Router C finds from FIB
table that router D is direct connected so he pops the label of 16004.
Router D gets a packet with 16005 in header. He will send it through
interface DB based on FIB table. Router B receives label of 16005 and he
knows from FIB table it is a directed connected so he pops label 16005 and
send the packet to router E.
Another Example on Explicit Path using Segment Routing:
in this example, the ordinary IGP shortest path from router A to router X will
follow a path of A-B-C-D-X, while there is a customer needs to reach a path
from router A to router X with a path that guarantees 30 M bandwidth. As
the paths are mixed of 10 M and 30 M of BW, then the explicit path in this
example will be A-B-C-G-H-X.
The operator in this example will create a path of 16003, 2001, and 16009:
16003: node SID of router C.
2001: adjacency SID for link between router C and router G.
16009: node SID of router X.
Routers A forwards the packet to B with the same headers. Router B pops
16003 as he knows from FIB table it is direct connected. At router C he
finds an adjacency label 2001. The adjacency label is important here as
router C in this case will forward the packet out of interface CG not out of
interface CD in case of ordinary shortest IGP path.
Router G finds 16009 in packet header and will forward it to router H which
will pop the label and send the packet to router X.
Labels Differences:
Label Generation Significant Function
Method
Prefix Manually Globally Identifies the prefix of a destination address.
segment configured Significant An IGP propagates the prefix segment of an NE
to the other NEs. The prefix segment is visible
and takes effect globally.
Each prefix segment is identified by a prefix SID.
A prefix SID is an offset value within the SRGB
range and advertised by a source node. The
receive end uses the local SRGB to compute
label values and then generates MPLS
forwarding entries.
Adjacency Dynamically Locally Identifies an adjacency on a network.
segment allocated by Significant An IGP propagates the adjacency segment of
the ingress an NE to the other NEs. The adjacency segment
through a is visible globally but takes effect locally.
protocol or Each adjacency segment is identified by an
manually adjacency SID. The adjacency SID is a local
configured SID that is outside of the SRGB range.
Node Manually Globally Identifies a specific node. Node segments are
segment configured Significant special prefix segments. When an IP address is
configured as a prefix for a loopback interface of
a node, the prefix SID is the node SID.
SRGB (Segment Routing Global Block):
• SRGB is the range of labels reserved for segment routing. Default
SRGB range is 16000–23999. It is strongly recommended to use
same SRGB on all nodes.
• Label = Prefix-SID index + SRGB base (16000).
• Example:
interface Loopback0
address-family ipv4 unicast
prefix-sid index 102
segment-routing
global-block 20000 23000
then the assigned label is 20102.
Ti-LFA (Topology independent – Loop Free Alternate):
- 100% coverage 50-msec link and node failures.
- Prevents congestion and sub-optimal routing.
- Ti-LFA works along with BFD. BFD detects a failure, and Ti-LFA
works in background to choose post convergence path.
- Post convergence path: when a link fails, it chooses a backup path
that doesn’t make loops without waiting for IGP convergence.
Example on Ti-LFA (Topology independent – Loop Free
Alternate):
Assume that BFD detected that link between A and E failed. So if
we need to reach from router X to router Z the Ti-LFA will
calculate a backup path in background.
Post convergence path will be 16003 (node SID of router C), 2001
(adjacency SID from router C to router D), and 16006 (the node
SID of router E).
We use adjacency SID because the metric of the link is 1000
(higher than the default metric 10).
Segment Routing Advantages:
1. Segment routing makes the network simper by running only one IGP
like ISIS or OSPF. This way, the network needs fewer protocols.
2. Less need for troubleshooting.
3. Segment routing avoids directed LDP sessions between the core
routers. (avoiding LDP mismatch problems).
4. Segment routing supports SDN. This is because network control is
programmable here.
5. Path protection using Ti-LFA.
Thanks.
