BGP Configuration Guide for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Cisco IOS XR Releases

BGP configuration modes

Updated: February 28, 2026

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Overview

Details the various configuration modes available in BGP, explaining each mode’s role in structuring and managing BGP settings within the network.

BGP configurations are organized into multiple command modes, with each mode enabling you to configure specific aspects of BGP operation. You can enter each mode at the CLI prompt, and within that mode, use the ? command for a list of available configuration commands.

These are common BGP configuration modes with examples demonstrating how to access each:


Mode	Description	Example	Typical Use Case
Global BGP configuration	Applies to overall BGP router settings	`router bgp 65000`	Set AS number, router ID, and global behaviors
Address-family ipv4 unicast	Configures IPv4 unicast-specific routing parameters	`address-family ipv4 unicast`	Control IPv4 unicast routing and policies
Address-family ipv4 multicast	Configures IPv4 multicast-specific routing	`address-family ipv4 multicast`	Manage IPv4 multicast routing in BGP
Address-family ipv6 unicast	Configures IPv6 unicast-specific routing parameters	`address-family ipv6 unicast`	Enable BGP for IPv6 unicast operations
Address-family vpnv4	Configures routing for VPNv4 addresses (L3VPN)	`address-family vpnv4`	Implement MPLS VPNs
Peer-group configuration	Assigns attributes to a group of neighbors	`neighbor PEERS peer-group`	Simplify neighbor management
Individual neighbor configuration	Sets custom parameters per neighbor	`neighbor 192.0.2.1 remote-as 65001`	Fine-tune individual neighbor settings

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