BGP
Border Gateway Protocol
A system that connects massive networks and guides the routes data takes to reach its destination.
In Simple Terms
BGP is like a guide that helps massive networks scattered around the world join hands to carry data over long distances. At the borders where networks run by different providers connect, it lets them tell each other "which network should get this data next." Behind the scenes, it ties everything together so networks all over the world can work as one giant internet.
Behind the Name
BGP comes from three English words: "Border," "Gateway," and "Protocol." Put together, they describe an agreement for exchanging information about where traffic should go next, right at the gateways where different networks meet at their borders.
Take a Closer Look!
BGP is a protocol that lets massive networks on the internet connect to each other and share route information about where data should go.
The internet is really a collection of networks run by providers and companies all over the world, and BGP plays a key role in tying them all together into one.
Each network operator decides which routes to use based on its connection agreements and its own operating rules (policies), and they exchange route information with each other.
Even if a route between networks that had been announced through BGP becomes unavailable, a route withdrawal or other update is received and an available alternate route is chosen instead, keeping communication flowing across the whole network.
In this way, BGP works behind the scenes to make sure we can smoothly reach the websites and video services we use every day.
It's an essential technology for keeping the internet's massive, tangled web of connections running smoothly.