34.1.1 Overview

BFD is a function that continuously monitors the reachability of routes between two devices. If both switches periodically send and receive BFD packets and do not receive BFD packets for a certain period of time, the router assumes that the route to the partner switch has failed. The combination of these two devices is called a BFD session.

Set BFD in a format that links BFD session with other protocols. When a fault is detected, it is notified to the associated protocol, so that fault countermeasures can be taken immediately with the notified protocol. BFD sessions can be configured as needed, regardless of the nature of the protocols they work with.

BFD is a protocol specifically designed to detect communication failures at high speeds, for example, to establish quick alternate routes, and is not suited to identifying the source or location of the failure.