True or False: BGP is designed to scale to large connected networks like the Internet.

• A. True
• B. Only with certain architectures
• C. False
• D. Not sure

Answer: (A)

BGP is built to route between many different networks across the globe, which is why it scales to Internet-size interconnections. It uses a path-vector approach with AS_PATH to prevent loops and to enforce routing policies, while CIDR and route aggregation keep the global routing table from exploding in size. The protocol supports multiple address families and can carry IPv4 and IPv6 routes through MP-BGP, providing flexibility for diverse networks. For scalability, BGP sends incremental updates so routers only exchange changes, not entire tables, which is essential as the network grows. To avoid an impractical full iBGP mesh, large networks deploy route reflectors and confederations, reducing the number of IGP peers while preserving reachability and policy. Taken together, these features enable BGP to handle the scale of large connected networks like the Internet.