BFD

Technical White Paper for BFD
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

Table of Contents
1 How to Use BFD Technology ....................................................................................................... 1
2 Introduction to BFD Technology ................................................................................................. 2

2.1 Overview of the BFD Protocol .............................................................................................. 2
2.2 Packet Format....................................................................................................................... 2
2.3 Detection Modes ................................................................................................................... 4
2.4 Sending Period and Detection Time ..................................................................................... 5
2.5 Parameter Change ............................................................................................................... 6
2.6 Session Establishment ......................................................................................................... 6
2.6.1 Session Initialization................................................................................................... 6
2.6.2 Session Establishment Process................................................................................. 8
3 Standardized BFD........................................................................................................................ 10
4 Typical Applications of BFD....................................................................................................... 10

4.1 Fast Reroute ....................................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Reliable Connection between Media Gateway and Core Network..................................... 12
5 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 13
AppendixA References .................................................................................................................. 14
AppendixB Abbreviations and Acronyms ................................................................................... 14
Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. i

http://datacomm.huawei.com
Abstract: Bi-directional Forwarding Detection (BFD) involves a set of international standard
protocols for implementing fast detection, providing a kind of low-load and
short-duration detection. In comparison with other old “HELLO” detection mechanisms,
BFD has many unique advantages. Huawei has realized the BFD technology in its
high-end network products, and is to provide a complete set of solutions in this
respect.
Keywords: BFD, Fast detection
1 How to Use BFD Technology
Network equipment is increasingly required to provide a function of fast detection of
communication failures between adjacent systems, so that alternative channels or other
links can be rapidly used when network failures occur. Currently some pieces of hardware
like SDH can provide this function, but multiple pieces of hardware or software such as
Ethernet cannot. Some pieces of hardware or software such as forwarding engine or
interface cannot implement path detection and end-to-end detection. At present, a network
usually adopts the slow hello mechanism, especially in the route protocol. As a result, it
takes a long time in detection, without the help of hardware (for example, OSPF needs two
seconds while ISIS one second). This is too long for some applications. When it comes to
a data rate of gigabit, the defective detection time will lead to great loss of data and the
nodes not supporting routing protocols cannot detect link states; the existing IP network
does not have an intermittent failure recovery function within one second while the
traditional network has a limited capability to implement accurate failure detection for
real-time applications such as voice. With the wide use of VoIP, fast detection and
recovery of network failures becomes increasingly important.
Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 1

The BFD protocol provides a solution to the above questions. The BFD allows failure
detection on any types of channels between systems, including direct physical link, virtual
circuit, tunneling, MPLS LSP, multi-hop route channel, and indirect channel. Meanwhile,
as the failure detection the BFD implements is simple and single, the BFD can be devoted
to fast detection of forwarding failures to help networks realize the transmission of voice,
video, and other on-demand services with good QoS, and to help service providers offer
VoIP of high reliability and high applicability and other real-time services required by their
customers.
2 Introduction to BFD Technology
2.1 Overview of the BFD Protocol
The BFD protocol is a simple “Hello” protocol. Many of its aspects are similar to the
neighbor detect part of those famous routing protocols. Two systems periodically send and
receive detection packets through a channel established between them. If one system
does receive a detection packet from the other for a long time, it indicates that failures
occur in a certain part of the bi-directional channel between the two adjacent systems.
Under some circumstances, consultation should be conducted on the sending and
receiving rate between the two systems, so as to reduce the load.
2.2 Packet Format
The detection packet the BFD sends is the UDP packet. Two types of packets are defined:
1) Control packet
Its format is as follows:

Compulsory
Optional
z Vers: version number of the BFD protocol, currently 1.

z Diag: diagnosis word, indicating the reason for the last session status change of the
local BFD system.
z Sta: local status of the BFD
z P: a flag, when parameters are changed, the sender set this flag in the BFD packet,
and the receiver must respond to this packet at once.
z F: a flag, this flag must be set in the packet responding to flag P.
z C: a forwarding/control separation flag, once this flag is set, control plane variation
does not affect the BFD detection. For example, if the control plane is ISIS, when
the ISIS resets /GR, the BFD can continually monitor the link status.
z A: an authentication flag, if this flag is set, it indicates that the session needs to be
authenticated.
z D: a query request flag, if this flag is set, it indicates that the sender wishes to adopt
a query mode to monitor the link.
z R: preserved bit
z Detect Mult: a detection timeout multiple, it is used in calculating detection timeout
time by the detector.
z Length: a packet length
z My Discriminator: an identifier for the BFD session connecting to the local side
z Your Discriminator: an identifier for the BFD session connecting to the remote side
z Desired Min Tx Interval: the minimum sending interval of the BFD packet supported
by the local side
z Required Min Rx Interval: the minimum receiving interval of the BFD packet
supported by the local side

z Required Min Echo RX Interval: the minimum receiving interval of the Echo packet
supported by the local side (it is set to 0 if the local side does not support the Echo
function)
z Auth Type: an authentication type, the current protocol provides:
Simple Password
Keyed MD5Meticulous Keyed MD5
Keyed SHA1
Meticulous Keyed SHA1
z Auth Length: an authentication data length
z Authentication Date: an authentication data area
The authentication section is optional and can be selected in the packet.

Authentication modes include Simple Password, Keyed MD5, Meticulous Keyed MD5,
Keyed SHA1, and Meticulous Keyed SHA1. The number of the UDP destination port
used by the control packet defined by the protocol is 3784.
2) Echo packet
The BFD protocol does not define an echo packet format. But the echo packet format
is only related to the local side. The remote side only needs to return the echo packet
on the return path. The local system must be able to separate corresponding contents
in the packet to corresponding sessions (so the sending and receiving processing of
the echo packet are not defined in the protocol). The number of the UDP destination
port used by the echo packet defined by the protocol is 3785.
2.3 Detection Modes
The BFD protocol describes two bi-directional detection modes: asynchronous mode and
query mode. In addition, an auxiliary echo function can be used together with these two
modes. The difference between asynchronous mode and query mode is the detection
position. Under the asynchronous mode, the local side sends the BFD control packet
periodically and the remote side needs to detect it. Under the query mode, the local
system detects the BFD control packet sent by the local side.
1) Asynchronous mode
Under the asynchronous mode, two systems periodically send the BFD control packet
to each other. If a system does not receive the BFD control packet from the other
within a detection time, it declares that this session is down.
2) Query mode

Under the query mode, suppose that each system has an independent method to
determine whether it is connected to another system. Once a BFD session is
established, systems stop sending the BFD control packet unless a system needs to
verify its connection explicitly. If a system needs explicit connection verification, it
sends a short-series BFD control packet. If the system does not receive a response
packet within a detection time, it will declare that the session is down. If the system
receives a response packet from the opposite side, the protocol keeps silence again.
3) Echo function
The local side sends a series of BFD echo packets. The remote system returns them
through its forwarding channel. If the local system does not receive several continual
echo packets, it declares that the session is down. The echo function can be used
together with the above two detection modes. The echo function can be used to
replace the detection task of the BFD control packet to reduce the sending period
(under asynchronous mode) of the control packet or completely cancel the BFD
control packet (under query mode).
2.4 Sending Period and Detection Time
The calculation of the sending period is unrelated to the detection mode. Under any
detection mode, an allowed range is needed since link jitter needs to be considered. The
specific calculation is as follows: If Detect Multi is 1, the sending period = (70%–90%) *
max (bfd.DMTI, received RMRI); if not, the sending period = (75%–100%) * max(bfd.DMTI,
received RMRI).
Since there are two BFD detection modes, the detection time calculations are somewhat
different under these two BFD detection modes. Since two detection modes can use the
echo function, the calculation method of the detection time of the echo packet is not given
and any mechanism for detecting echo packet loss can be used.
1) Asynchronous mode
Under the asynchronous mode, since the detection position is the opposite side, the
detection multiple of the local side will be used in calculating the detection time. The
formula is: detection time = received remote DM * max (bfd.RMRI, received DMTI).
2) Query mode

Under the query mode, since the detection position is the local side, the detection
multiple of the local side will be used in calculating the detection time. The formula is:
detection time = bfd.DM * max (bfd.RMRI, received DMTI).
2.5 Parameter Change
Various BFD parameters may dynamically change after a session is established. But this
does not affect the current status of the session. The parameters that can dynamically
change include DMTI, RMRI, enabling or disabling the echo function, enabling or disabling
the query function, and enabling or disabling the authentication function. When the DMTI
is added, the actual sending interval of the local side cannot be changed until a BFD
control packet whose F bit is 1 is received. This ensures that when the sending interval of
the remote system is increased at the local side, its detection time will be updated. When
the RMRI is reduced, the detection time calculated by the remote side cannot be changed
until a BFD control packet whose F bit (See the explanation of packet format fields) is 1 is
received. This ensures that the remote system will have sent the BFD control packet at a
higher speed before the detection time is reduced.
2.6 Session Establishment
Before the BFD detection, it is necessary to establish an equivalent session at the two
sides of the channel. After the session is established, each side sends a BFD control
packet to the other at an agreed speed to implement failure detection. The session
detection path can be a flag switching path, a tunnel of other type , or an Ethernet.
2.6.1 Session Initialization
At the initialization stage of a BFD session establishment process, whether the two sides
are active or passive roles depends on applications. But at least one side is the active role.
So the initialization stage can be divided into two modes:
1) Two sides being active parties

When two sides are active roles, the system of each side needs to send a BSFD
control packet whose “Your Discriminator is 0” to the opposite side until each side
receives Discriminator from the opposite side, and then starts to establish the session
(for example, the BFD session established by the OSPF or ISIS can ensure that both
sides are active roles).
When two sides are active parties, since your discriminator is 0, they cannot be
separated to a corresponding session according to the BFD protocol. So initializing
the packet needs other methods:
a) For 1hop:
The separation of the first packet depends on the packet-receiving interface

(whether it is a physical or logical link) while at the same time the received packet
TTL must be 255.
b) For multihop:
z Method 1:
Session pair (source address, destination address) configured on a single BFD is

unique. This method is used when a BFD session is established on the OSPF
virtual link.
z Method 2:
Before the session establishment, first use an outer band mode to get the
Discriminator of the opposite side. This method is used when a session is
established on the LSP of the MPLS.
z Method 3:
Use two unidirectional links. The separation of initialization packet is similar to that
in 1hop. One unidirectional link is an active party before the session. The passive
party separates the BFD control packet whose “Your discriminator is 0” according
to the packet-receiving interface.
2) One party being the active role and the other being the passive role
When one party is the active role and the other is the passive role, who is the active
role or passive role depends on the application. The active party first sends a packet
and then the application carries the discriminator from the opposite party to the active
party. The passive party also starts to send packets after receiving the packet from the
active party. Later your discriminators in the packets sent by both the active and
passive parties are none zero. Each side separates the control packet to a

corresponding session in the local side according to a corresponding discriminator

(for example, the BFD session established by LSP-Ping).
2.6.2 Session Establishment Process
The session establishment process is a process with three handshakes. After this process,
the session at the two sides becomes the Up state. In this process the both sides
simultaneously consults their corresponding parameters. The later status is changed
according to defective detection results and the corresponding processing is implemented.
The migration of the state machine is as follows:
up
down init
DOWN
timer down, timer : Control detection time

timer expired
up : Up state in packet
init : Init state in packet
down init,up
down : Down state in packet
init,up
UP : Up state
INIT UP INIT : Init state
DOWN : Down state
Figure 1 BFD state transition diagram
Using the establishment process of BFD session connection as an example, the migration
process of the state machine is introduced as follows:

A Packet transmit B
down down
BFD
D OWN
OWN
B FD D down => init
down => init
BFD IN
IT init BFD DOWN : DOWN state in packet
init => up B FD init BFD INIT : INIT state in packet

INIT
B FD
UP init => up BFD UP : UP state in packet
BFD U
P XX => YY : Resault of changing
state (Local)
Point of changing state
: (Local)
Point of changing state
: (in sending packet)
Figure 2 BFD session connection establishment
z Stations A and B start the BFD. Their initial state is “Down”. They send the BFD
packets with the state “Down”.
z State B receives the BFD packet with the state “Down”. Its local state is changed
over to “Init”. It sends the BFD packet with the state “Init”.
z After the local BFD state of station B becomes “Init”, station B receives the packet
with the state “Down” and does not process it.
z The change process of the BFD state of station A is the same as the above.
z State B receives the BFD packet with the state “Init”. Its local state is changed over
to “Up”.
z The change process of the BFD state of station A is the same as the above.
z After the state of stations A and B changes from “Down” to “Init”, a timeout timer will
be started. The timer can be used to prevent the local state from being always “Init”
(may be the connection between A and B is broken and the session cannot be
established normally). If the BFD packet with the state “Init/Up” is still not received
within a defined time, the state is automatically changed over to “Down”.
z The local state UP indicates that the session is successful.

3 Standardized BFD
Since July 2004 when the first draft of the BFD standard was introduced, IETF has been in
engaged in discussing how to revise the BFD protocol. Now draft base-00 has been
developed into draft base-03 and version 0 has been upgraded to version 1. The following
diagram shows the development process of the BFD:
• Aug 04 Submit the base protocol specification to the

IESG to be considered as a Proposed Standard.
• Aug 04 Submit BFD encapsulation and usage profile for single-hop IPv 4 and
IPv 6 adj acencies to the IESG to be considered as a Proposed Standard
• Aug 04 Submit BFD encapsulation and usage profile for MPLS
LSPs to the IESG to be considered as a Proposed Standard
Draf t base-00
• Nov 04 Submit BFD MIB to the IESG to be considered as Proposed Standard.
2004.7 • Feb 05 Submit BFD encapsulation and usage profile for multi-hop IPv 4 and
IPv 6 adj acencies to the IESG to be considered as a Proposed Standard
Draf t base-01
2005.2
Draf t base-02
2005.3 Draf t base-03
2005.7
Figure 3 BFD development process
4 Typical Applications of BFD
According to the detection, the BFD is the best solution to communication forwarding
failure detection. Its typical applications are as follows:
4.1 Fast Reroute
With the development of NGN and IPTV, the IP network has to simultaneously bear
multiple services. So it must have high requirements for reliability and security. Currently
many carriers tend to use the MPLS VPN to isolate different services. The MPLS VPN is
characterized by: 1） High security and isolation of resources in the future; 2） Clear
network planning and convenient management and maintenance.

A forwarding platform UMG8900

UMG8900
BJ1 SY1
XA1 NJ1 UMG8900
UMG8900
NE40-8 NE40-8
CD1 GZ1
SH1 WH1
NE80 BJ2 SY2 NE80 SoftX3000
XA2 NJ2
SoftX3000
SoftX3000
UMG8900
UMG8900
CD2 GZ2
SH2 WH2
B forwarding platform
Figure 1 NGN networking solution
One of requirements of voice services for the bearer network: When failures occur in the
network, the changeover should be implemented within several hundred milliseconds, 50
ms in the best. Together with the VPN, voice services from one side to another include the
segments: NGN equipmentÆPEÆthe core network of the bearer networkÆPEÆNGN
equipment, where if any segment (including link and equipment) cannot reach the above
requirements, voice services will be affected. The failures include failures occurred on
nodes P and PE.
When failures occur on node P, fast reroute technologies usually are adopted, including
the traditional TE FRR and latest LDP FRR. These two technologies protect the standby
LSP. When the active LSP fails, the standby LSP is changed over before the failure node.
The BFD can provide the capability to fast detect failures of adjacent nodes or links for
node P. When the BFD detects these failures, it will trigger the FRR mechanism to
implement the changeover to ensure that the loss of user data services will be the
minimum.
When failures occur to the PE, the MPLS VPN FRR will be adopted to solve the problem
that the changeover to the standby PE cannot be fast implemented after failures occur at
the original PE. The purpose is that the VPN service can be fast changed over to the

standby tunnel and standby PE so that the traffic can be recovered in a very short time.
The major realization means of the MPLS VPN FRR is that when the active tunnel is
available, the forwarding engine is simultaneously provided the forwarding information of
the standby tunnel. When the forwarding engine realizes that the active tunnel is
unavailable, it can directly use the standby tunnel to transfer information without relying on
the convergence of the control panel.
The BFD can provide the fast detection function to the opposite PE for the MPLS VPN
FRR. When the BFD finds that the opposite PE is broken, it will notify the MPLS VPN FRR
to implement the changeover so that the loss of user data services will be the minimum.
4.2 Reliable Connection between Media Gateway and Core

Network
Figure 2 BFD application in a media gateway solution
The communication transmission in such a network architecture that the VoIP media
gateway is connected to the IP core network through a switching Ethernet faces with two
problems: 1. Since the current media gateway keeps a equivalent session relationship at
the IP layer, the whole network is “invisible” and failure detection between a media
gateway and the IP edge router cannot be implemented; 2. When failures occur at a
remote unit in the switching network, the Ethernet has no effective mode to notify the host
or router. Although the detection tool for high-speed link failures plays a very important role

in the realization of the high applicability VoIP, it is difficult for it to fast detect network
failures when there is a switch between the host and the router.
Now the BFD protocol is completely integrated with the media gateway platform and is
used to keep the connection between the gateway and the edge router. The BFD can
detect failures in the Ethernet or independent network segment. It can alternatively build
redundant paths between the gateway and the router. Once failures are detected and
confirmed, the BFD can trigger a corresponding changeover mechanism in all routes,
transmission, and tunnel systems to ensure network reliability.
5 Conclusion
The BFD aims at binding more things to the forwarding plane so that they can be out of
specific network protocols and fast defective detection and carrier-level changeover will
become possible. Together with the low cost of the BFD processing, this allows wide
expansion and good applicability for the BFD. The BFD will surely become an important
force in driving the IP network to integrate with the telecom network.

AppendixA References
1) Katz, D., and Ward, D., "Bidirectional Forwarding Detection", draft-IETF-bfd-base-02.txt,
March, 2005.
2) Katz, D., and Ward, D., "BFD for IPv4 and IPv6 (Single Hop)",
draft-IETF-bfd-v4v6-1hop-02.txt, March, 2005.
3) Aggarwal, R., and Kompella, K., "BFD for MPLS LSPs", draft-IETF-bfd-mpls-01.txt, March,
2005.
4) Katz, D., and Ward, D., "BFD for Multihop Paths", draft-IETF-bfd-multihop-02.txt, February,
2005.
AppendixB Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviation/ Acronyms Full Spelling
BFD Bidirectional Forwarding Detection
IP Internet Protocol
UDP User Datagram Protocol
DMTI Desired Min TX Interval
RMRI Required Min RX Interval
DM Detect Mult
FRR Fast ReRoute


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Technical White Paper for BFD

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

1 How to Use BFD Technology ....................................................................................................... 1

2 Introduction to BFD Technology ................................................................................................. 2

4 Typical Applications of BFD....................................................................................................... 10

AppendixA References .................................................................................................................. 14

AppendixB Abbreviations and Acronyms ................................................................................... 14

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. i

Technical White Paper for BFD

Abstract: Bi-directional Forwarding Detection (BFD) involves a set of international standard

protocols for implementing fast detection, providing a kind of low-load and

short-duration detection. In comparison with other old “HELLO” detection mechanisms,

high-end network products, and is to provide a complete set of solutions in this

Keywords: BFD, Fast detection

1 How to Use BFD Technology

Network equipment is increasingly required to provide a function of fast detection of

communication failures between adjacent systems, so that alternative channels or other

Ethernet cannot. Some pieces of hardware or software such as forwarding engine or

recovery of network failures becomes increasingly important.

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 1

2 Introduction to BFD Technology

2.1 Overview of the BFD Protocol

Under some circumstances, consultation should be conducted on the sending and

receiving rate between the two systems, so as to reduce the load.

2.2 Packet Format

Its format is as follows:

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 2

z Vers: version number of the BFD protocol, currently 1.

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 3

The authentication section is optional and can be selected in the packet.

2.3 Detection Modes

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 4

2.4 Sending Period and Detection Time

specific calculation is as follows: If Detect Multi is 1, the sending period = (70%–90%) *

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 5

2.5 Parameter Change

higher speed before the detection time is reduced.

2.6 Session Establishment

2.6.1 Session Initialization

So the initialization stage can be divided into two modes:

1) Two sides being active parties

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 6

The separation of the first packet depends on the packet-receiving interface

Session pair (source address, destination address) configured on a single BFD is

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 7

corresponding session in the local side according to a corresponding discriminator

2.6.2 Session Establishment Process

simultaneously consults their corresponding parameters. The later status is changed

according to defective detection results and the corresponding processing is implemented.

The migration of the state machine is as follows:

timer down, timer : Control detection time

Figure 1 BFD state transition diagram

process of the state machine is introduced as follows:

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 8

init => up B FD init BFD INIT : INIT state in packet

Figure 2 BFD session connection establishment

z The local state UP indicates that the session is successful.

Copyright ©2007 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 9

diagram shows the development process of the BFD:

• Aug 04 Submit the base protocol specification to the

Figure 3 BFD development process

4 Typical Applications of BFD

failure detection. Its typical applications are as follows: