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Routing Information

AAPT uses two mechanisms to announce customer routes to the Internet, static routing and BGP (Border Gateway Protocol). Unless a customer is multi-homed and obtaining transit from multiple providers, static routing should be quite adequate. If the customer is obtaining transit from multiple providers then AAPT requires that you use BGP to exchange routing information with our Network.

In order for AAPT to announce a customer's routes they must be registered. This may be accomplished by completing the form at:

<URL: https://query.connect.com.au/cgi-bin/crs/route.cgi>

Authentication

In order to submit a request you must authenticate yourself to the system. When you try to access the above URL, you will be prompted for username and password. The username is based on your numeric Customer ID. The username format (in lowercase) is: customerid@customer.connect.com.au

The password is your Company Password (sometimes called a BTA password). If you don't know your Company Password, please contact AAPT Support .

BGP Routing

AAPT does not charge for BGP but before you elect to use it, be aware that in practice it is more expensive to use BGP than static routing. Exchanging routing information via any routing protocol generates traffic, so BGP routing will generate traffic on your link even if there is no other traffic. AAPT recommends that your router have at least 32MB of memory, although actual requirements will depend on the type of router used and configuration complexity.

In order to request BGP you must:

have a permanent connection through a "core" router using either an ISDN, Frame Relay, synchronous serial or Ethernet interface;
use a NIC (APNIC, ARIN or RIPE) assigned Autonomous System Number (ASN);
request BGP exchange with AAPT

If you are offering transit to another AS then once a BGP session is established you should register their ASN so you can correctly register their routes.

AAPT still requires you to register routes even when you use BGP for a number of reasons:

we filter your announcements (both by exact prefix and AS path). This is a defensive mechanism just in case you start announcing reachability to the world (accidents happen);
we need to know which networks "belong" to you so we can accurately bill you for usage; and
some of our providers require manual notification of route changes so they can modify their route filters.

Information Registration

AAPT will register the routing information in the AAPT Internet Routing Registry (CCAIR) and the public RADB Internet Routing Registry. The information in the CCAIR is used to generate access filters on our routers which control the announcement of your routes into the AAPT network (and beyond).

If you are not multihomed, AAPT may elect to aggregate your routes with other routes when announcing them to our providers. By doing so AAPT will be playing its part in reducing the size of the world's routing table.

Checking Network Registration

At any time you can check which networks you have registered by using our connected networks tool. This will provide a list of which networks you have registered with AAPT, which Autonomous System Number will be used to announce them to the Internet (if any) and the name of the point of presence.

Further Information

AAPT employs filters to ensure that only traffic from registered networks enters the AAPT network via customer interfaces. If you require us to carry traffic sourced from a network then you must register that network with AAPT. AAPT may filter traffic leaving the AAPT network to a peer or provider if a suitable route is not also announced to that peer or provider.

Also AAPT assumes that customers using static routing only obtain Internet transit from AAPT and so we filter traffic entering the AAPT network via a provider or peer that appears to be sourced from a statically connected network. In this case AAPT assumes that this traffic has forged source addresses.

Additional questions you may have about this system may be covered by our FAQ on Multi-homing and BGP.

Definitions

Border Gatway Protocol (BGP)

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the routing protocol used to exchange routing information across the Internet. The term BGP peering is used to describe the exchange of routing information via BGP. BGP peering provides an automatic mechanism for sharing routing information, replacing what is currently a manual process. BGP/4 is defined in RFC1771.

Multi-homing

There are two basic types of multi-homed organisation.

An organisation which has connections to AAPT at more than one point of presence, and have internal links between these sites; or

An organisation which has a connection to AAPT and at least one other Internet access provider.

Autonomous System (AS) Number

In order to use BGP you must have a globally unique Autonomous System Number (ASN) . If you do not have one already you may obtain one from the Asia Pacific Network Information Center using their form. Note you must be a member of the APNIC to use this service.

If you are not a member of the APNIC (and do not wish to join just to get an ASN) AAPT can arrange to obtain one on your behalf for a fee. Contact your account manager for details.

Access Filters

AAPT employs both AS path filters and route filters. As a result of this policy you must register all routes that you wish to announce to AAPT as well as any ASN orginated within your network.