neighbor [ip] description [text]
Documents a BGP neighbor with a descriptive label visible in show commands.
Definition: neighbor [ip] description [text] is a Cisco IOS router config command. Adds a human-readable description to a BGP neighbor entry. Useful for documentation — the description appears in show commands to identify what the peer is.
neighbor <ip-address> description <text>When to Use This Command
- Identifying ISP peers with carrier name and circuit ID.
- Labeling iBGP peers with their hostname or role.
- Adding change-management context to production router configs.
- Making large BGP configs readable when auditing configurations.
Command Examples
Add description to an ISP eBGP peer
R1(config)# router bgp 65001
R1(config-router)# neighbor 203.0.113.1 description ISP-Acme-Circuit-A123R1(config-router)#
No output. The description string is stored with the neighbor entry.
View description in neighbor summary
R1# show ip bgp neighbors 203.0.113.1 | include DescriptionDescription: ISP-Acme-Circuit-A123
The description appears in 'show ip bgp neighbors' output. It has no effect on BGP operation.
Understanding the Output
No operational effect — purely informational. Visible in 'show ip bgp neighbors [ip]' under the Description field and in 'show running-config'. Best practice on all BGP peers in production environments.
CCNA Exam Tips
CCNA exam tip: The description command exists for interfaces AND BGP neighbors — same concept, different context.
CCNA exam tip: Descriptions appear in show commands but have zero impact on BGP behavior.
CCNA exam tip: Good exam configs include descriptions; a question may ask you to 'identify the ISP peer' — look for the description.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Confusing 'neighbor description' with the interface 'description' command — the syntax is identical but context differs.
Mistake 2: Leaving descriptions blank in production — not a technical mistake but poor operational practice.
Mistake 3: Using the description as a substitute for documentation — it supplements config management, not replaces it.
neighbor [ip] description [text] vs neighbor [ip] remote-as [asn]
Both commands are configured under the BGP router configuration mode using the neighbor keyword, but they serve fundamentally different purposes: neighbor remote-as defines the AS number to establish the peering session, whereas neighbor description is merely a label for administrative identification. They are commonly grouped together because they are often applied sequentially to the same neighbor statement.
| Aspect | neighbor [ip] description [text] | neighbor [ip] remote-as [asn] |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Assigns a text label to a neighbor | Configures the remote AS number to form a BGP session |
| Mandatory | Optional | Required for BGP peering to be established |
| Session Impact | No impact on BGP session state | Determines whether an iBGP or eBGP session is formed |
| Persistence | Persists in configuration but not in the BGP table | Persists and is used in the BGP process to initiate TCP connections |
| Verification | Shows in show ip bgp neighbors output | Shows in show ip bgp neighbors and show running-config | section router bgp |
Use neighbor [ip] description [text] when you want to add a human-readable note to a BGP neighbor entry for operational documentation (e.g., 'Provider_A_primary').
Use neighbor [ip] remote-as [asn] when you need to define a BGP peer and specify its autonomous system number to enable the BGP session.
Related Commands
neighbor [ip] remote-as [asn]
Defines a BGP neighbor (peer) by specifying its IP address and AS number. If the remote AS matches the local AS, this creates an iBGP session; if different, it creates an eBGP session.
router bgp [asn]
Enters BGP router configuration mode and creates a BGP process with the specified autonomous system (AS) number. This is the first command required to configure BGP on a Cisco router.
show ip bgp summary
Displays a summary of the BGP neighbor status and prefix counts, used to quickly verify BGP peering and routing table health.
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