Understanding BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection)
BFDis ahigh-speed fault detection protocolused to monitor link failures inmilliseconds.
It operates atLayer 2 (Data Link Layer) and Layer 3 (Network Layer)to providefast convergence.
Why Can BFD Detect Failures in Milliseconds?
Useslightweight control packetsthat are exchanged between routers.
Works withOSPF, IS-IS, BGP, and MPLSto trigger fast convergence.
Detection time = (Transmit Interval) × (Detect Multiplier)
Example: If the interval is3msand the multiplier is3, failure detection takes9ms.
Why is the Answer TRUE?
✅BFD achieves millisecond-level detectionby sending rapid probe packets.
✅Used in high-availability networkswhere link failures must be detected inreal-time.
Real-World Application
Service Provider Networks:BFD improves network resilience by detecting link failuresfaster than traditional routing timers.
Enterprise WANs:Used inSD-WANsto switch paths dynamically.
MPLS Fast Reroute (FRR):Works withMPLS Traffic Engineeringfor near-instantaneous failover.
✅Reference:Huawei HCIE-Datacom Guide – BFD for Fast Link Failure Detection