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mtu-discovery

Syntax

mtu-discovery;

Hierarchy Level

[edit logical-systems logical-system-name protocols bgp],[edit logical-systems logical-system-name protocols bgp group group-name],[edit logical-systems logical-system-name protocols bgp group group-name neighbor address],[edit logical-systems logical-system-name routing-instances routing-instance-name protocols bgp],[edit logical-systems logical-system-name routing-instances routing-instance-name protocols bgp group group-name],[edit logical-systems logical-system-name routing-instances routing-instance-name protocols bgp group group-name neighbor address],[edit protocols bgp],[edit protocols bgp group group-name],[edit protocols bgp group group-name neighbor address],[edit routing-instances routing-instance-name protocols bgp],[edit routing-instances routing-instance-name protocols bgp group group-name],[edit routing-instances routing-instance-name protocols bgp group group-name neighbor address]

Release Information

Statement introduced before Junos OS Release 7.4.

Statement introduced in Junos OS Release 9.0 for EX Series switches.

Statement introduced in Junos OS Release 11.3 for the QFX Series.

Description

Configure TCP path maximum transmission unit (MTU) discovery.

TCP path MTU discovery enables BGP to automatically discover the best TCP path MTU for each BGP session. In Junos OS, TCP path MTU discovery is disabled by default for all BGP neighbor sessions.

When MTU discovery is disabled, TCP sessions that are not directly connected transmit packets of 512-byte maximum segment size (MSS). These small packets minimize the chances of packet fragmentation at a device along the path to the destination. However, because most links use an MTU of at least 1500 bytes, 512-byte packets do not result in the most efficient use of link bandwidth. For directly connected EBGP sessions, MTU mismatches prevent the BGP session from being established. As a workaround, enable path MTU discovery within the EBGP group.

Path MTU discovery dynamically determines the MTU size on the network path between the source and the destination, with the goal of avoiding IP fragmentation. Path MTU discovery works by setting the Don’t Fragment (DF) bit in the IP headers of outgoing packets. When a device along the path has an MTU that is smaller than the packet, the device drops the packet. The device also sends back an ICMP Fragmentation Needed (Type 3, Code 4) message that contains the device’s MTU, thus allowing the source to reduce its path MTU appropriately. The process repeats until the MTU is small enough to traverse the entire path without fragmentation.

Required Privilege Level

routing—To view this statement in the configuration.

routing-control—To add this statement to the configuration.

 

Related Documentation

 

Published: 2013-04-03

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