Traditionally, establishing connectivity between AWS and policy-based IPSEC VPNs was the norm. However, recent changes on the AWS front have introduced a new paradigm. Through the utilization of the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), the connectivity of your VPN tunnels to AWS undergoes a marked improvement, including enhanced failover capabilities. If your infrastructure boasts a Firewall crafted within the past few years, it’s highly probable that it supports BGP.
While BGP might appear intricate for numerous organizations, its fundamental concept centers around being a routing protocol. Essentially, it endeavors to direct traffic to endpoint A; in case endpoint A remains unresponsive, traffic seamlessly reroutes to endpoint B. The significance is evident – upon configuring a Virtual Private Gateway within AWS, BGP furnishes you with dual endpoints for connection.
By allowing dual endpoint connections, BGP effectively mitigates network downtime. This protocol also introduces an added layer to your network architecture, offering scalability benefits for both on-premise and cloud environments. To illustrate, consider incorporating a secondary internet connection into your BGP policy. This inclusion results in two points of failure on each side, meaning that if one of your company’s internet connections or AWS endpoints experiences an outage, your connectivity remains intact.
The aforementioned scenario is just a solitary example of BGP’s advantages. The transition to cloud-based infrastructures coupled with the deployment of robust routing protocols, such as BGP, enhances uptime and facilitates cost-efficient bandwidth utilization, bolstering availability.
Debates occasionally arise regarding Routed IPSEC VPNs versus Policy-based in the Cisco realm. Drawing from my experience, BGP introduces a valuable layer of redundancy without compromising security. If you’re interested in discussing your network topology, feel free to reach out to us: https://nettology.net/services/network-support/
Our adept specialists excel at orchestrating end-to-end setups and maintaining ongoing management, ensuring the security of your company’s data. Additionally, we’re adept at collaborating with your existing in-house IT team, offering comprehensive support tailored to your needs.
For more information on BGP check this link: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpn/latest/s2svpn/VPNRoutingTypes.html
