36

OSPF

This chapter describes the OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) routing protocol and shows you how to configure OSPF.

36.1 OSPF Overview

OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) is a link-state protocol designed to distribute routing information within an autonomous system (AS). An autonomous system is a collection of networks using a common routing protocol to exchange routing information.

OSPF offers some advantages over traditional vector-space routing protocols (such as RIP). The following table summarizes some of the major differences between OSPF and RIP.

Table 112 OSPF vs. RIP

 

OSPF

RIP

Network Size

Large

Small (with up to 15 routers)

 

 

 

Metrics

Bandwidth, hop count, throughput,

Hop count

 

round trip time and reliability.

 

 

 

 

Convergence

Fast

Slow

 

 

 

36.1.1 OSPF Autonomous Systems and Areas

An OSPF autonomous system (AS) can be divided into logical areas. Each area represents a group of adjacent networks. All areas are connected to a backbone (also known as area 0). The backbone is the transit area to route packets between two areas. A stub area, at the edge of an AS is not a transit area since there is only one connection to the stub area.

 

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XGS4700-48F User’s Guide