Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Abstract
One of the more common misconceptions about Segment Routing (SR) is that it requires a complex controller in order to do anything useful from a traffic-engineering (TE) perspective. I show how, by using just two SR concepts, one can perform useful, "surgical" traffic engineering, while still taking advantages of ECMP and other goodies one has already provisioned in one's network--all without the need for an external controller. I conclude by creating yet another silly-but-catchy IT aphorism that faithfully describes my approach and underlying minimalist philosophy toward TE.
Michael Sinatra:
Michael Sinatra is a Senior Core Network Engineer with ESnet, where he has worked for the past 15 years. Prior to that he worked for UC Berkeley for 19 years. He was a member of NANOG's Program Committee 2011-2016 and served as its first official Secretary.
nanog.org/events/nanog-96/content/5721
Abstract
One of the more common misconceptions about Segment Routing (SR) is that it requires a complex controller in order to do anything useful from a traffic-engineering (TE) perspective. I show how, by using just two SR concepts, one can perform useful, "surgical" traffic engineering, while still taking advantages of ECMP and other goodies one has already provisioned in one's network--all without the need for an external controller. I conclude by creating yet another silly-but-catchy IT aphorism that faithfully describes my approach and underlying minimalist philosophy toward TE.
Michael Sinatra:
Michael Sinatra is a Senior Core Network Engineer with ESnet, where he has worked for the past 15 years. Prior to that he worked for UC Berkeley for 19 years. He was a member of NANOG's Program Committee 2011-2016 and served as its first official Secretary.
nanog.org/events/nanog-96/content/5721
