STABLE PATH PROBLEM
Based on The Stable Path Problem and Interdomain Routing
Timothy G. Griffin, Bruce Shepherd, Gordon Wilfong
Presented by:
Sangeetha A. J.
Overview

BGP basics

Simple Path Vector Protocol

Stable Path Problem

Dispute Wheels
2
Border Gateway Protocol

The only interdomain routing protocol used in
the internet today.

Not based on shortest path.

Path vector protocol.
3
How is BGP different from
shortest path algorithms?

Policy based metrics

Independent routing policies at each AS

These policies could be conflicting

BGP can be considered a distributed algorithm
to solve the Stable Path Problem.
4
BGP route selection
Order of preference
1.
Highest local preference
2.
Shortest AS path
3.
Lowest IP address for next hop
5
Peering transformation
Composition of three transformations
1. Export policies
r1 = export (u
w, r)
2. Path vector transformation
r2 = PVT (u
w, r1)
3. Import policies
r3 = import (u w, r2)
6
Peering transformation
pt (u w, r) =
import (u w, PVT(u
w, export(u w, r)))
Suppose u0 is originating AS
P = uk uk-1 …..u1 u0
Route record received is
pt( uk
uk-1, pt( uk-1
Ranking function λ
uk
uk-2, ……..pt ( u1
u0 )))..))
(P)
7
Simple Path Vector Protocol
process spvp(u)
{
receive P from w 
{
rib-in(uw) := P
if rib(u) != best(u)
{
rib(u) := best(u)
for each v in peers(u)
{
send rib(u) to v
}
}
}
}
8
Stable path problem

Mathematical formulation that captures the
semantics of any path vector protocol.

Does every node have a stable route to one
destination node?

Node 0 is assumed to be origin or destination of
all routes.
9
SHORTEST - 1
1
2
0
4
3
10
SHORTEST 1- Path assignment
Node
Time
1
2
1
2
3
4
10
20
30
-
10
20
30
430
11
SHORTEST 1
1
2
0
4
3
12
Stable path problem
Undirected graph G = (V, E)
V- set of nodes , E - set of edges
Path is either empty path or a sequence of nodes
(vk vk -1…..v1 v0 )
Pv - set of permitted paths from v to origin
If P1 , P2 ϵ Pv and λ v (P1) < λ v (P2)
then P2 is preferred over P1.
13
Stable path problem
An instance of stable path problem, S = (G,P,Λ)
Graph together with permitted paths and ranking function for each
node.
Some properties
 P0 = {(0)}
 for all v ϵ V – {0}
◦ ϵ ϵ Pv (null path is always present in the set)
◦ λ v (ϵ) =0 , λ v (P) > 0 for P ≠ ϵ (null path has lowest
preference)
◦ P ϵ Pv then P is a simple path (no repeated nodes).
14
Stable path problem

A path assignment is a function π function that maps a
node to a permitted path.
π(u) ϵ Pu

All possible permitted paths at u , choices (π, u) =
{ (u v) π(v) | {u,v} ϵ E } ∩ Pu (u ≠ 0)
{ (0)} otherwise
15
Stable path problem

W is subset of Pu such that each path in W has a distinct
next hop.

Best path in W, best(W, u)
{P ϵ W with maximal λ u (P)
ϵ

W≠Φ
otherwise }
Path assignment π is stable at node u if
π(u) = best (choices (π, u) ,u)
16
Stable path problem

π is stable, if it is stable at each node u

Path assignment vector (P1 , P2 ,….., Pn ) where π(u)=Pu

If π is stable and π(u)= (u w) P, then π(w)= P.

Thus stable path implies tree rooted at the origin.

The stable path problem, S = (G,P,Λ) is solvable if there
is a stable path assignment for S.
17
SHORTEST 2
1
2
0
4
3
18
SHORTEST 2
1
2
0
4
3
19
Good Gadget
1
2
0
4
3
20
Good Gadget
Node
Time
1
2
3
4
1
10
20
30
-
2
130
210
30
430
3
130
20
30
430
21
Good Gadget
1
2
0
4
3
22
Bad Gadget
1
2
0
4
3
23
Bad Gadget
Node
Time
1
2
3
4
1
10
20
30
-
2
130
210
30
420
3
130
20
3420
430
4
10
20
30
420
5
130
210
30
420
24
Naughty Gadget
1
2
0
4
3
25
Naughty Gadget
Node
Time
1
2
3
4
1
10
20
30
-
2
130
210
30
420
3
130
20
3420
430
4
10
20
30
420
5
130
210
3420
430
6
10
20
30
26
Multiple solutions possible
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
27
Observations about SPP

A stable path problem is safe if SPVP always converges.

SPP solvability does not imply safety.
◦ Naughty gadget has single solution but SPVP may diverge.
Oscillations are possible.

It always diverges if there is no solution.

Multiple stable solutions are possible for a SPP.
28
Dispute Wheels
A sequence of nodes , ui .
 A sequence of non-empty paths, Qi and Ri.

R k-1
u k-1
u0
R0
u1
Q0
Qk-1
Q1
R1
Q2
Qi+1
u2
v
Qi
u i+1
Ri
ui
29
Dispute Wheels

A circular set of dependencies between routing policies that
cannot be simultaneously satisfied.

Ri is a path from ui to ui+1

Qi ϵ Pui

Ri Qi+1 ϵ Pui

λ ui (Qi) < λ ui (Ri Qi+1 )

Preferred path for every node goes around the wheel instead
of following the spoke.
30
Dispute Wheel of Bad Gadget
u2
u0
R2
1
2
Q0
Q2
0
R0
Q1
3
4
R1
u1
31
Dispute Wheel of Naughty Gadget
R0
u0
3
Q0
0
2
4
u1
Q1
R1
32
Properties of dispute wheel
No dispute wheel implies

Solvability

Unique solution

Safety

Robustness
33
Dispute wheel

Construct a sequence of subsets of V, V0 , V1…

Corresponding path assignments π0, π1….

Direct path P = (u1 u2) P2 P2= π(u2)

Add nodes to the set, if its highest rank consistent with
πi is direct path.

If you are unable to find nodes whose paths are
consistent with existing path assignments, you get a
dispute wheel.
34
Good Gadget
1
2
0
4
3
35
Good Gadget
0
1
2
3
4
Node
Time
1
(0)
-
-
-
-
2
(0)
-
-
30
-
3
(0)
130
-
30
430
4
(0)
130
210
30
430
36
Bad Gadget
1
2
0
4
3
37
Bad Gadget
Node
Time
1
0
1
2
3
4
(0)
-
-
-
-
38
Solvability
R0
u1
u0
Q0
v1
R1
u2
39
Unique solution
R0
u1
u0
R3
R1
u3
R2
u2
40
Robustness

If stable path problem, S, has no dispute wheel then S is
robust.

S is fragile if S is solvable but there exist some E’
(subset of E) such that S/E’ is not solvable.
41
Bad Backup- Fragile
1
2
0
4
3
42
Conclusion

A network with unique solution can have a dispute
wheel, if transient oscillations are present. This is a rigid
condition.

Even in networks with multiple stable states, we get
dispute wheels.
43
Complementary approaches

Operational guidelines

Static analysis of routing policies

Dynamic detection
44
45