How is the BGP protocol defined and how does it work in internet networks?

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is a routing protocol used for exchanging information about available networks between autonomous systems (AS) on the internet.

It operates on the principle of exchanging routes between different networks, allowing the determination of optimal data transfer paths. BGP uses routing tables and routing policies to select the best route.

Main features of BGP operation:

• Exchange of routes between AS via TCP connections.
• Use of route attributes (e.g., AS_PATH, NEXT_HOP) for decision-making.
• Support for routing policies that control route selection.

Example: if you have two networks connected to different providers, BGP will help determine which provider is better for sending traffic to a specific address.