Systems and methods for automatically detecting routing peers

1. A method for automatically detecting network routing peers and establishing route peering sessions, the method comprising:

retrieving, at a network router, route peer configuration for the network router, wherein the route peer configuration comprises a first identifier that specifies one or more network interfaces for route peering;

identifying, based on the first identifier in the route peer configuration, a network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the network router for route peering;

configuring the network interface to participate in route peering, including determining a second identifier different from the first identifier and assigning the second identifier to the network interface;

detecting a peer router on the network interface;

initiating a peering session on the network interface with the peer router; and

exchanging, using the peering session, route information with the peer router.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second identifier comprises:

determining a media access control address for the network interface;

generating an interface address derived from the media access control address; and

assigning the interface address to the network interface.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the interface address is an internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) formatted address.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the network interface to participate in route peering further comprises:

enabling route peer detection on the network interface; and

enabling route peering sessions on the network interface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the peer router on the network interface comprises:

receiving, from the peer router, a router advertising message; and

extracting, from the router advertising message, a peer address for the peer router.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route peer configuration does not identify an address for the peer router.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route peer configuration does not identify the peer router.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the peering session is a border gateway protocol (BGP) session.

9. A system for automatically detecting network routing peers and establishing route peering sessions, the system comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate with network interfaces in other systems; and

control circuitry configured to:

retrieve route peer configuration for the network interface, wherein the route peer configuration comprises a first identifier that specifies one or more network interfaces for route peering;

identify, based on the first identifier in the route peer configuration, the network interface for route peering;

configure the network interface to participate in route peering, including determining a second identifier different from the first identifier and assigning the second identifier to the network interface;

detect a peer router on the network interface;

initiate a peering session on the network interface with the peer router; and

exchange, using the peering session, route information with the peer router.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein determining the second identifier includes:

determining a media access control address for the network interface;

generating an interface address derived from the media access control address; and

assigning the interface address to the network interface.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the interface address is an internet protocol version 6 formatted address.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control circuitry configures the network interface to participate in route peering by:

enabling route peer detection on the network interface; and

enabling route peering sessions on the network interface.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control circuitry detects the peer router on the network interface by:

receiving, from the peer router, a router advertising message; and

extracting, from the router advertising message, a peer address for the peer router.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the route peer configuration does not identify an address for the peer router.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the route peer configuration does not identify the peer router.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the peering session is a border gateway protocol (BGP) session.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that when executed by control circuitry cause the control circuitry to:

retrieve, at a network router, route peer configuration for the network router, wherein the route peer configuration comprises a first identifier that specifies one or more network interfaces for route peering;

identify, based on the first identifier in the route peer configuration, a network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the network router for route peering;

configure the network interface to participate in route peering, including determining a second identifier different fro the first identifier and assigning the second identifier to the network interface;

detect a peer router on the network interface;

initiate a peering session on the network interface with the peer router; and

exchange, using the peering session, route information with the peer router.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the control circuitry to:

enable route peer detection on the network interface; and

enable route peering sessions on the network interface.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the control circuitry to:

receive, from the peer router, a router advertising message; and

extract, from the router advertising message, a peer address for the peer router.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the route peer configuration does not identify an address for the peer router.