A router has two candidate BGP paths for a prefix that are identical in weight, local-pref, origin, AS path, MED, and next-hop reachability. Which tie-breaker will BGP use to choose the best path?
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Correct answer: The path whose BGP originator/router-id (highest router ID) is numerically highest will be chosen.
Why this is the answer
When all other BGP path attributes (Weight, LocalPref, Origin, ASPath, MED, and next-hop reachability) are identical for multiple paths to the same prefix, BGP uses the router ID as a tie-breaker. Specifically, it prefers the path advertised by the BGP speaker with the highest router ID. This ensures a deterministic path selection process even when many attributes are the same. The lowest router ID is incorrect because BGP prefers higher router IDs in this scenario. The lowest next-hop IP is not a standard BGP path selection criterion. BGP is designed to always select a path if one is available, so it will not hang.
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