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Date:      Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:40:09 +1000
From:      "Christopher Martin" <outsidefactor@iinet.net.au>
To:        "FreeBSD Net Mailing list" <freebsd-net@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Multiple routes to the same destination
Message-ID:  <52se08$ad99g9@iinet-mail.icp-qv1-irony6.iinet.net.au>

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There is probably some good reason for this, but there is just one thing
that seems very lacking from FreeBSD, and that's the ability to put in
multiple routes in the table the same destination.

Now, I am sure a lot of people are saying "You idiot, use OSPF/BGP/RIP if
you want fail over!" But that's not what I want! In the case of just about
every other OS today you can put in as many routes as you like, and it will
use any routes to a destination in a round robin, assuming they have
equivalent, preferable metrics. Sort of poor mans load balancing. This also
prevents protocols like OSPF from entering multiple routes to destination
networks even if they have the same cost.

People have tried to overcome this in the past with ipfw rules:
http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions/2005-July/093285.html

The best this solution (more of a hack, really) can do is route sessions
back out the same interface they came in.

Is there a good reason? If there isn't one, how much work will it take to
fix? I have to admit that it frustrates me enough to at least have a crack
at fixing it myself, even though I am no expert 1337 coder.

Please pardon my ignorance!

C Martin



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