Cisco BGP - how to make a certain Router BGP Server/Initiator only?

[James L]

Hello.

Does anybody know how to make a BGP session only initiate connections to a peer but not allow the peer to initiate them?

E.G. Router A needs to always initiate connections to Router B but not the other way round.

I could use an ACL on the interface (that Routers can see each-other but what if they are multi-homed) to only allow outbound TCP/179 from Router A --> B but that seems like a hack? 

Thanks.

[Georg Pauwen]

Hello,

I think there is the command below:

neighbor x.x.x.x connection-mode passive

[paul driver · Accepted solution]

Hello

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@James L wrote:

Hello.

Does anybody know how to make a BGP session only initiate connections to a peer but not allow the peer to initiate them?

E.G. Router A needs to always initiate connections to Router B but not the other way round.

I could use an ACL on the interface (that Routers can see each-other but what if they are multi-homed) to only allow outbound TCP/179 from Router A --> B but that seems like a hack? 

---

So you wish router A to be the client correct, the one that initiates the connection?

router b
neighbor <a> transport connection-mode passive (neighbor a to be client)

or
router a
neighbor <b> transport connection-mode active (neighbor b to be server)

[James L]

Ahh yes thanks.

I also just found this document.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/ios/iproute_bgp/command/reference/irg_book/irg_bgp4.html#wp1144431