How to Start Border Gateway Protocol Projects Using OMNeT++

To start a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) project in OMNeT++, we will make a network simulation, which designs routing behaviour of BGP among several Autonomous Systems (ASes). BGP is a complex protocol, which manages the routing exchange data among diverse autonomous systems by the internet. It has to replicate the BGP routers behavior, handle routing tables, and then manage the BGP-specific messages such as NOTIFICATION, KEEPALIVE, and UPDATE in OMNeT++.

Below is an in-depth instruction to get started:

Steps to Start BGP Project in OMNeT++

  1. Install OMNeT++ and Required Frameworks
  • OMNeT++ is the discrete event simulation environment to download and install it on the system.
  • INET Framework: OMNeT++ offers the INET framework that has models for diverse networking protocols with Layer 3 protocols, IP, routing protocols, and so on. Now, we should install INET.
    • We can adhere to the INET installation instruction to install the INET framework, and download the framework using its GitHub repository.
  1. Understand the BGP Protocol
  • BGP is designed for inter-domain routing among the Autonomous Systems. It functions by launching a TCP connection among routers like BGP peers and swapping routing data.
  • Numerous kinds of messages are contained by BGP:
    • OPEN: Launches a connection among the BGP peers.
    • UPDATE: It is utilised to update the new routes or remove old ones.
    • KEEPALIVE: It makes sure that connection among the peers is sustained.
    • NOTIFICATION: It helps to alerts of errors or protocol problems.
  • BGP Routing Logic: BGP routers utilise the path vector approaches finding out the optimal path. BGP is a policy-based routing protocol and routing decisions are created depends on its characteristics such as AS path, prefix length, and network policies.
  1. Create a New OMNeT++ Project
  • Make a new project of the BGP simulation within OMNeT++:
    • Go to OMNeT++ IDE and Choose File → New → OMNeT++ Project.
    • Click OMNeT++ Project and then name it to the project like BGPProject.
  1. Create the Network Topology (NED Files)
  • Make the network topology using NED (Network Description) files. Make a topology including many routers, each routers are denoting an AS router and BGP peer connections among them for a simple BGP simulation.

Example topology in BGPNetwork.ned:

network BGPNetwork

{

submodules:

router1: Router;

router2: Router;

router3: Router;

connections:

router1.ethg++ <–> Ethernet <–> router2.ethg++;

router2.ethg++ <–> Ethernet <–> router3.ethg++;

}

  • In this topology:
    • router1, router2, and router3 denote the routers under diverse autonomous systems.
    • We can be modified this topology with additional routers, links, and BGP peers.
  1. Define the Router Modules (BGP Routing)
  • In OMNeT++, BGP routers are normally designed like compound modules. A router module will be contained BGP-specific behavior like transmitting BGP OPEN messages, launching TCP connections, swapping the BGP UPDATE messages, and then managing routing tables.

Example of a Router.ned file for a BGP router:

simple Router

{

parameters:

string bgpVersion = default(“BGP4”);

gates:

input in;

output out;

submodules:

bgp: BGP;

ipModule: IP;

tcpModule: TCP;

}

  • bgp: submodule that can be modified, which manage the BGP logic like sustaining BGP tables, transmitting updates, and reacting to peers.
  • ipModule and tcpModule: Modules to manage IP and TCP protocols which is designed for BGP interaction.
  1. Implement BGP Protocol Logic in C++
  • In C++ classes, we will inscribe the real BGP protocol logic. It has to manage BGP messages such as OPEN, UPDATE, KEEPALIVE, NOTIFICATION, sustaining a BGP routing table, and managing BGP peers.

Example of a basic BGPProtocol.cc file:

class BGPProtocol : public cSimpleModule

{

private:

void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;

void sendBGPOpen();

void sendBGPUpdate();

void sendBGPKeepAlive();

void handleBGPUpdateMessage(cMessage *msg);

public:

BGPProtocol();

~BGPProtocol();

};

Define_Module(BGPProtocol);

void BGPProtocol::handleMessage(cMessage *msg)

{

if (msg->isSelfMessage()) {

// Periodic tasks (e.g., send keepalives)

sendBGPKeepAlive();

} else {

// Handle incoming BGP messages (OPEN, UPDATE, NOTIFICATION)

handleBGPUpdateMessage(msg);

}

}

void BGPProtocol::sendBGPOpen()

{

// Create and send an OPEN message to establish a BGP session

cMessage *openMsg = new cMessage(“BGP-OPEN”);

send(openMsg, “out”);

}

void BGPProtocol::sendBGPUpdate()

{

// Create and send a BGP UPDATE message to advertise new routes

cMessage *updateMsg = new cMessage(“BGP-UPDATE”);

send(updateMsg, “out”);

}

void BGPProtocol::sendBGPKeepAlive()

{

// Send a BGP KEEPALIVE message periodically

cMessage *keepAliveMsg = new cMessage(“BGP-KEEPALIVE”);

send(keepAliveMsg, “out”);

}

void BGPProtocol::handleBGPUpdateMessage(cMessage *msg)

{

// Process incoming BGP UPDATE messages (parse attributes, modify routing table)

// Example logic: Update the local BGP routing table based on received routes

}

BGPProtocol::BGPProtocol() {}

BGPProtocol::~BGPProtocol() {}

  • handleMessage: It manages the incoming messages like OPEN, UPDATE, and so on and starts periodic BGP tasks such as sending keepalives.
  • sendBGPOpen: Transmits a BGP OPEN message launching a peer connection.
  • sendBGPUpdate: It helps to forward  a BGP UPDATE message to update the new routes.
  • sendBGPKeepAlive: It supports transmits KEEPALIVE messages periodically sustaining the connection.
  1. Configure Simulation Parameters in the INI File
  • In the omnetpp.ini file, set up diverse simulation metrics. It has to configure BGP version, network topology metrics, router configuration, and simulation duration.

Example omnetpp.ini:

network = BGPNetwork

sim-time-limit = 100s

**.router1.bgp.peerIp = “192.168.0.2”

**.router2.bgp.peerIp = “192.168.0.1”

**.router3.bgp.peerIp = “192.168.0.2”

**.router1.bgp.bgpVersion = “BGP4”

**.router2.bgp.bgpVersion = “BGP4”

  1. Build and Compile the Project
  • After making and setting the components and replication environment, then execute the project.
  • We can be created the project through OMNeT++ IDE or by executing the command within the terminal.
  1. Run the Simulation
  • When the project is compiled then we can be executed the simulation from the OMNeT++ IDE or from the command line:

./run -u Cmdenv

  1. Analyze Simulation Results
  • OMNeT++ offers simulation tools to examine simulation outcomes like routing tables, message flow, and performance parameters such as convergence time, message exchanges.
  • Envision the routing decisions, BGP message exchanges, and network behavior to utilize OMNeT++ Analysis Result tools for visualization.

Additional Tips:

  • Extend Existing Models: If we are utilising INET framework then it might already have basics modules for BGP. We can be prolonged or changed those models executing certain aspects of BGP.
  • Simulate Real-World Scenarios: We can experiment the BGP convergence and fault tolerance by launching network failures, link failures, or changes within routing strategies.
  • Debugging: Monitor the flow of BGP messages and network events to utilize the logging and debugging features of OMNeT++.

By leveraging OMNeT++, we were able to perform a comprehensive process to simulate BGP Protocol projects and experiment their behaviour under various network topologies and scenarios. If you need assistance with more innovative approach on this topic, we will deliver later.

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