GNU Zebra
Encyclopedia
Zebra is a routing software package that provides TCP/IP based routing services with routing protocols support such as RIP
, OSPF
and BGP
. Zebra also supports special BGP Route Reflector and Route Server
behavior. In addition to traditional IPv4
routing protocols, Zebra also supports IPv6
routing protocols. With SNMP
daemon which supports SMUX protocol, Zebra provides routing protocol management information base
s.
Zebra uses an advanced software architecture to provide a high quality, multi server routing engine. Zebra has an interactive user interface for each routing protocol and supports common client commands. Due to this design, new protocol daemons can be easily added. Zebra library can also be used as a program's client user interface.
Zebra is distributed under the GNU General Public License
.
joint venture
between British Telecom and Marubeni
, Ishiguro encountered venture capitalist Yoshinari Yoshikawa.
Yoshinari Yoshikawa shared Ishiguro's vision for a new routing engine and they combined resources to create the world's first routing engine software. The resulting entity, known as the Zebra Project, was started in 1996.
.
Worldwide, many Linux
/BSD based BGP-routers which were using Zebra are switching to Quagga.
The OpenBSD project created its own routing suites. OpenBGPD
and OpenOSPFD
were developed as an alternative to Linux-focused routing suites such as Quagga
, because they don't meet the OpenBSD
project's requirements and quality standards.
Routing Information Protocol
The Routing Information Protocol is a distance-vector routing protocol, which employs the hop count as a routing metric. RIP prevents routing loops by implementing a limit on the number of hops allowed in a path from the source to a destination. The maximum number of hops allowed for RIP is 15....
, OSPF
Open Shortest Path First
Open Shortest Path First is an adaptive routing protocol for Internet Protocol networks. It uses a link state routing algorithm and falls into the group of interior routing protocols, operating within a single autonomous system . It is defined as OSPF Version 2 in RFC 2328 for IPv4...
and BGP
Border Gateway Protocol
The Border Gateway Protocol is the protocol backing the core routing decisions on the Internet. It maintains a table of IP networks or 'prefixes' which designate network reachability among autonomous systems . It is described as a path vector protocol...
. Zebra also supports special BGP Route Reflector and Route Server
Route server
A route server is a server that was originally made with the intention to be a part of the National Science Foundation funded Routing Arbiter project. This routing process directs information among Border Gateway Protocol routers. These servers are placed at Network Access Points in which the...
behavior. In addition to traditional IPv4
IPv4
Internet Protocol version 4 is the fourth revision in the development of the Internet Protocol and the first version of the protocol to be widely deployed. Together with IPv6, it is at the core of standards-based internetworking methods of the Internet...
routing protocols, Zebra also supports IPv6
IPv6
Internet Protocol version 6 is a version of the Internet Protocol . It is designed to succeed the Internet Protocol version 4...
routing protocols. With SNMP
Simple Network Management Protocol
Simple Network Management Protocol is an "Internet-standard protocol for managing devices on IP networks. Devices that typically support SNMP include routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, modem racks, and more." It is used mostly in network management systems to monitor...
daemon which supports SMUX protocol, Zebra provides routing protocol management information base
Management information base
A management information base is a virtual database used for managing the entities in a communications network. Most often associated with the Simple Network Management Protocol , the term is also used more generically in contexts such as in OSI/ISO Network management model...
s.
Zebra uses an advanced software architecture to provide a high quality, multi server routing engine. Zebra has an interactive user interface for each routing protocol and supports common client commands. Due to this design, new protocol daemons can be easily added. Zebra library can also be used as a program's client user interface.
Zebra is distributed under the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
.
Background
The idea for Zebra originally came from Kunihiro Ishiguro, after he realized the need for quality routing software. While working at an ISPInternet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between British Telecom and Marubeni
Marubeni
is a Japanese trading company, one of the largest general trading companies in Japan.-Offices:*Head Office - 4-2, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan*Head Office -20-6, Shiba 5-chome, Minato, Tokyo, Japan...
, Ishiguro encountered venture capitalist Yoshinari Yoshikawa.
Yoshinari Yoshikawa shared Ishiguro's vision for a new routing engine and they combined resources to create the world's first routing engine software. The resulting entity, known as the Zebra Project, was started in 1996.
Future
Since its last release (version 0.95) in 2005-09-08, development for Zebra has appeared to have been stopped. A new project has emerged as the unofficial successor of Zebra: QuaggaQuagga (Software)
Quagga is a network routing software suite providing implementations of Open Shortest Path First , Routing Information Protocol , Border Gateway Protocol and IS-IS for Unix-like platforms, particularly Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD and NetBSD....
.
Worldwide, many Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
/BSD based BGP-routers which were using Zebra are switching to Quagga.
The OpenBSD project created its own routing suites. OpenBGPD
OpenBGPD
OpenBGPD allows general purpose computers to be used as routers. It is a Unix system daemon that provides a free, open-source implementation of the Border Gateway Protocol version 4. This allows a machine to exchange routes with other systems that speak BGP....
and OpenOSPFD
OpenOSPFD
OpenOSPFD is a BSD licensed implementation of the Open Shortest Path First Protocol. It is a network routing software suite which allows ordinary general purpose computers to be used as routers exchanging routes with other computer systems speaking the OSPF protocol....
were developed as an alternative to Linux-focused routing suites such as Quagga
Quagga (Software)
Quagga is a network routing software suite providing implementations of Open Shortest Path First , Routing Information Protocol , Border Gateway Protocol and IS-IS for Unix-like platforms, particularly Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD and NetBSD....
, because they don't meet the OpenBSD
OpenBSD
OpenBSD is a Unix-like computer operating system descended from Berkeley Software Distribution , a Unix derivative developed at the University of California, Berkeley. It was forked from NetBSD by project leader Theo de Raadt in late 1995...
project's requirements and quality standards.