
What is Routing Protocol?
A routing protocol is a set of rules and procedures that routers use to exchange information about network topology and determine the best path for forwarding packets. Routing protocols are used to build and maintain routing tables, which contain information about the reachability of different network destinations.
There are two main types of routing protocols:
Distance-vector protocols: These protocols determine the best path to a destination by considering the number of hops (or "distance") to the destination. Examples include RIP (Routing Information Protocol) and IGRP (Interior Gateway Routing Protocol).
Link-state protocols: These protocols determine the best path to a destination by considering the entire topology of the network. Examples include OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) and IS-IS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System)
Each routing protocol has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of which protocol to use depends on the specific requirements of the network. Some common factors to consider when choosing a routing protocol include scalability, ease of configuration, and support for different types of network environments.
OSPF vs RIP vs EIGRP
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First), RIP (Routing Information Protocol), and EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol) are all routing protocols used in IP networks.
OSPF is a link state routing protocol that uses a shortest path first algorithm. It is considered a more advanced and complex routing protocol compared to RIP and EIGRP. OSPF is typically used in enterprise networks and supports variable-length subnet masks (VLSMs), making it efficient in large and complex networks. It also has a larger administrative distance than the other two protocols.
RIP is a distance-vector routing protocol that uses a hop count metric to determine the best path to a destination. It is a simpler protocol compared to OSPF and EIGRP, and is typically used in smaller networks. However, it has a maximum hop count limit of 15, which makes it less suitable for larger networks.
EIGRP is a Cisco proprietary advanced distance-vector routing protocol that uses metrics based on bandwidth, delay, reliability, and load. EIGRP has many features similar to OSPF, but it is considered more efficient and faster at convergence. It also supports VLSM and it is considered a better option than RIP in larger networks. EIGRP also uses a hybrid of distance-vector and link-state routing, which makes it more versatile than RIP and OSPF.
In summary, OSPF is considered a more advanced and complex routing protocol and is typically used in enterprise networks, EIGRP is a Cisco proprietary advanced distance-vector routing protocol, considered more efficient and faster at convergence, and RIP is a simpler protocol typically used in smaller networks.
The main differences between them are:
Routing algorithm: EIGRP and OSPF are both advanced routing protocols, while RIP is a simpler distance-vector protocol. OSPF is a link-state routing protocol, meaning that each router in the network has knowledge of the entire topology of the network. EIGRP is a Cisco proprietary protocol and uses a hybrid of distance-vector and link-state routing, which makes it more versatile than RIP and OSPF. RIP uses a hop count metric to determine the best path to a destination.
Scalability: OSPF and EIGRP are considered more suitable for large and complex networks, as they support variable-length subnet masks (VLSMs) and have larger administrative distances than RIP. RIP has a maximum hop count limit of 15, which makes it less suitable for larger networks.
Convergence: EIGRP is considered more efficient and faster at convergence than OSPF and RIP, as it uses a Diffusing Update Algorithm (DUAL) to quickly calculate the best path to a destination. OSPF and RIP may take longer to converge in large networks.
Support: EIGRP is a Cisco proprietary protocol and only works with Cisco routers, while OSPF and RIP are open standards and are supported by most routers.
In summary, EIGRP is a Cisco proprietary advanced distance-vector routing protocol that uses metrics based on bandwidth, delay, reliability, and load, OSPF is a link-state routing protocol that uses a shortest path first algorithm and typically used in enterprise networks, and RIP is a simpler protocol typically used in smaller networks and it has a maximum hop count limit of 15, which makes it less suitable for larger networks.