Configure BGP for Site

Published April 5, 2023 | Last modified March 20, 2025

Objective

This guide provides instructions on how to configure BGP for your site to advertise the Virtual IP (VIP) routes. The F5® Distributed Cloud Services platform supports BGP along with the virtual site functionality to enable BGP peering for a large number of sites with ease and reduced complexity.

To know more about virtual sites, see Virtual Sites.

Prerequisites

A valid Account is required.

Note: In case you do not have an account, see Create an Account.

One or more registered sites in the enterprise tenant.

Note: If you do not have a registered site, see How-to Create a Site.

ASN Standard Supported: 4-byte BGP ASN nomenclature. [RFC 4893]

Configuration

The following figure shows the sequence of steps in enabling BGP for a site to publish VIP routes:

Figure: BGP Configuration Flow

Configuration Sequence

Enabling BGP to publish routes includes performing the following sequence of actions:

Phase	Description
Create Virtual Networks	Create virtual networks representing inside and outside networks.
Create Network Interface	Create network interfaces for the inside and outside networks.
Create BGP Instance	Create a BGP Object and configure properties such as peers.

Create Virtual Networks

Follow the instructions in the Create Virtual Networks document and create the required virtual networks.

Create Network Interface

Follow the instructions in the Interfaces document and create the required interfaces.

Create BGP Instance

Note: Cautiously use private and public ASNs.

This example shows BGP setup in Multi-Cloud Network Connect.

Note: The hold time is 15 seconds by default, while the keepalive timer is set to 5 second intervals.

Step 1: Open F5® Distributed Cloud Console > select BGP.

Open F5® Distributed Cloud Console homepage, select Multi-Cloud Network Connect box.

Note: Homepage is role based, and your homepage may look different due to your role customization. Select All Services drop-down menu to discover all options. Customize Settings: Administration > Personal Management > My Account > Edit work domain & skills button > Advanced box > check Work Domain boxes > Save changes button.

Figure: Homepage

Note: Confirm Namespace feature is in correct namespace, drop-down selector located in upper-left corner. Not available in all services.

Select Manage in left column menu > select Networking > BGPs.

Note: If options are not showing available, select Show link in Advanced nav options visible in bottom left corner. If needed, select Hide to minimize options from Advanced nav options mode.

Select Add BGP button.

Figure: Add BGP

Step 2: Customize BGP parameters.

Enter Name.
Enter Labels and Description as needed.

Name BGP

Step 3: Apply BGP configuration location.

Select Where drop-down menu option:
- Site
- Virtual Site
Select Site in Reference drop-down menu to select your sites or virtual site where you intend to apply the BGP configuration.

BGP Peer Configuration

Step 3.1: Apply Parameters.

Enter ASN number in Parameters box.
Select Router ID drop-down menu option:
- From Interface Address: For setting the IP address of the interface on which BGP is being configured as the BGP router ID.
- From Site: For setting the BGP router ID from the site object.
- IP Address: For setting the specified IP address as the BGP router ID > Enter IP Address, IPv4 address.

Figure: BGP Common Parameters

Note: If you select the From Site option, ensure that you set the BGP Router ID field in the site configuration. You can find your site from the Sites > Site List, and edit the site using the ... > Edit option.

Step 4: Configure BGP Peers.

In Peers box, select + Add Item button.

BGP Peers

Enter Name, enter Description as needed.
Enter ASN under Peer Type drop-down.
Select Peer Address drop-down menu option:
- Peer Address > Enter IP Address in Peer Address box, to set the specified IP address as the peer address.
- Offset From Beginning Of Subnet > Enter IP address in Offset From Beginning of Subnet box, to set the IP address after the offset from the subnet beginning.
- Offset From End Of Subnet > Enter IP address in Offset From End of Subnet box, to set the IP address after the offset from the subnet end.
Note: For example, if 10.10.10.0/24 is the subnet and offset is specified as 5, then the peer address is set as 10.10.10.5.
- Address From Site Object: For setting the BGP router ID from site object.
- Default GateWay: To use the default gateway IP address of the interface as the peer address.
Select Peer Interface(s) drop-down menu option:
- Interface > select Interface drop-down menu to select an existing interface, or select Create new network interface to create and apply a new interface, to apply a specific network interface
- Interface List > select Interface drop-down menu to select an existing interface or select Create new network interface to create and apply a new interface, to apply a list of interfaces.
  
  Note: Use Edit Configuration option to add more peers or interfaces.

BGP Setup

Select BGP Authentication drop-down menu option:
- No Authentication.
- MD5 Authentication Key > enter MD5 Authentication Key.

BGP MD5 Authentication

Select Passive Mode drop-down menu option.
- Disabled
- Enabled

BGP Passive Mode

Select Apply blue button located at bottom of page to finish configuring BGP peers.

Note: This example sets the peer address using the Peer Address option.

BGP Peer Configuration

Note: To enable BGP for a number of sites simultaneously, set the Peer Address field to Default Gateway and set the Direct/Selector Reference field to Virtual Site.

Step 5: Complete creating the BGP object.

Select Save and Exit button to complete creating your BGP instance.

Complete BGP Setup

Concepts

API References

Site
BGP