A service provider we're working with delivers us data via two(for resiliency) 1Gbps cross connects. He's located in a datacenter nearby the datacenter where our server is located. We don't have a switch, nor do we have a router, just one single Ubuntu server. Our server has a dedicated network card with two 1 Gb fiber ports that are meant to be used for the two cross connects.
Now, the service provider surprisingly asked for a AS number as well as "source network information". I just don't have enough network technology knowledge to figure out what I have to do. I've expected a TCP/IP connection.
My questions are:
- Is it possible at all to connect to a BGP network without special hardware, just by configuring the Ubuntu OS accordingly?
- What could be meant by "AS number" and "source network information"? Are there typical contents for a BGP network that I would have to deliver?
- Which software could I use for the BGP setup on Ubuntu 16.04?