[ixpmanager] arouteserver vs IXP Manager

[Nishal Goburdhan]

On 1 May 2023, at 16:42, Richard Laager via ixpmanager wrote:

> We (MICE) don’t have a route collector.
>
> I have read a little about route collectors. Am I correct in understanding that they are the same as a route server, except they are input only? And everyone peers with them? Do you get any push back on that requirement from bilateral only networks?

loosely speaking that’s correct.  a route collector usually does not advertise anything.  (in some cases, a route collector might advertise a single, unused prefix, just so you know that the BGP session is _actually_ working, but who has IPv4 to waste these days? :-))

we generally don’t get pushback.  sometimes, you will run into someone that doesn’t understand why this is helpful, and for those occasions, it helps to have a FAQ ready [1].  it also helps if the route-collector ASN is _different_ to the route-servers ASN so that, once again, there is a mental divide between the different services;  especially for large operators that might be uncomfortable with route servers.  getting folks to _keep_ their sessions up, however, is another exercise  :-/

the ixpmanager docs on route collector setup is here:  https://docs.ixpmanager.org/features/route-collectors/

-n.

[1] here’s ours:  https://support.inx.net.za/en/kb/article/why-do-you-want-me-to-peer-with-the-route-collector