:_mod-docs-content-type: ASSEMBLY
[id="metallb-configure-bgp-peers"]
= Configuring MetalLB BGP peers
include::_attributes/common-attributes.adoc[]
:context: configure-metallb-bgp-peers

toc::[]

[role="_abstract"]
As a cluster administrator, you can add, modify, and delete Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) peers. The MetalLB Operator uses the BGP peer custom resources to identify which peers that MetalLB `speaker` pods contact to start BGP sessions. 

The peers receive the route advertisements for the load-balancer IP addresses that MetalLB assigns to services.

// BGP peer custom resource
include::modules/nw-metallb-bgppeer-cr.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

// Add a BGP peer
include::modules/nw-metallb-configure-bgppeer.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

// Add a BGP peer
include::modules/nw-metallb-configure-specificpools-to-bgppeer.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

// Add a BGP peer with VRF
include::modules/nw-metallb-configure-vrf-bgppeer.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

[role="_additional-resources"]
[id="additional-resources_{context}"]
== Additional resources

* xref:../../../networking/multiple_networks/about-virtual-routing-and-forwarding.adoc#cnf-about-virtual-routing-and-forwarding_about-virtual-routing-and-forwarding[About virtual routing and forwarding]

* xref:../../../networking/k8s_nmstate/k8s-nmstate-updating-node-network-config.adoc#virt-example-host-vrf_k8s-nmstate-updating-node-network-config[Example: Network interface with a VRF instance node network configuration policy]

* xref:../../../networking/ovn_kubernetes_network_provider/configuring-egress-traffic-for-vrf-loadbalancer-services.adoc#configuring-egress-traffic-loadbalancer-services[Configuring an egress service]

* xref:../../../networking/ingress_load_balancing/metallb/metallb-configure-return-traffic.adoc#metallb-configure-return-traffic[Managing symmetric routing with MetalLB]

include::modules/nw-metallb-example-bgppeer.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

[role="_additional-resources"]
== Additional resources

* xref:../../../networking/ingress_load_balancing/metallb/metallb-configure-services.adoc#metallb-configure-services[Configuring services to use MetalLB]
