The BIRD Internet Routing Daemon team has announced the release of BIRD 3.0.0, the first stable version of this software router with multithreaded capabilities. This milestone marks a significant advancement after more than five years of continuous development.
BIRD, known for being a dynamic routing daemon primarily designed for Linux and BSD systems, continues to support key protocols like BGP, OSPF, RIP, BFD, and more. With this new version, BIRD integrates multithreaded capabilities, promising enhanced performance and scalability in complex network environments.
What’s New in BIRD 3.0.0
The shift to a multithreaded model is the primary highlight of this release. Protocols are now distributed across multiple threads:
- Main thread: Handles general daemon operations.
- Secondary threads: Manage specific protocols like BGP, BMP, RPKI, and Pipe, with another thread dedicated to BFD.
Ondřej Zajíček, one of the lead developers, emphasized that this multithreaded architecture represents a significant restructuring of the internal implementation of tables and channels. While the core functionality of the protocols remains unchanged, these internal updates improve efficiency and performance.
Key Changes and Compatibility
- Memory Consumption: Memory usage has significantly increased in this version, though the team is working on optimizing it in future updates.
- Compatibility: Most scripts and configurations from BIRD 2.16 can be reused, but minor changes in attribute names and the CLI may require adjustments. A detailed migration guide is available in the documentation.
- Dual Support: BIRD 2 and BIRD 3 will continue to be developed simultaneously for some time, allowing users to choose based on their specific needs.
Core Features of BIRD
BIRD remains a versatile and powerful solution for dynamic routing in IPv4 and IPv6 networks, offering key features such as:
- Support for multiple routing tables.
- Advanced protocols: BGP, RIP, OSPF, BFD, Babel, and more.
- Smooth reconfiguration: Configuration changes can be made without disrupting service.
- Powerful route filtering: Using a specialized language for advanced configurations.
- Cross-platform compatibility: Available for Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD.
Benefits of the Multithreaded Model
BIRD 3.0.0’s multithreaded approach allows for better handling of distributed workloads in large and complex networks. This model reduces bottlenecks, improves latency, and prepares the daemon for the growing demands of modern networks.
A Continuously Evolving Project
Initially developed as a student project at Charles University in Prague, BIRD has evolved into an essential tool for network administrators and system operators. Under the umbrella of CZ.NIC Labs, BIRD continues to receive active support and contributions from the community.
The BIRD team encourages users to test the new version and provide feedback, particularly regarding the migration documentation and any issues encountered in this groundbreaking release.
Download and Learn More
For more details and to download the new version, visit the official BIRD website. This release reinforces the development team’s commitment to providing a robust, scalable dynamic routing daemon ready to tackle the challenges of today’s networks.
