bgp best path

[DARYLE DIANIS]

I am trying to get a good understanding of bgp's best path route selection that might help me understand a problem I see in our wan.

When bgp goes through the initialization process, it establishes the peer, trades ip routing tables and selects the best path, correct?  If there are 3 possible paths to a destination, bgp will pick the best.  Once it starts using the best path and something happens, will it go to the next best path?  And if the first path comes available, again, bgp will remain on the next best path?

[Jon Marshall]

If the best path fails then yes BGP will use the next one.

If the original best path then comes back up BGP should switch back to that path.

Edit - obviously that is a very generic answer as to what should happen.

Perhaps you can clarify what the issue is that you are seeing ?

Jon