Routing Protocols
Routing Protocols Explained Routing protocols determine the best paths for data packets to travel across a network.
graph LR;
A[Dynamic Routing Protocols]
A --> B[Interior Gateway Protocols]
A --> C[Exterior Gateway Protcols]
B --> B1[Distance Vector]
B --> B2[Link-State]
C --> C1[Path Vector]
B1 --> B11[RIP]
B1 --> B12[EIGRP]
B2 --> B21[OSPF]
B2 --> B22[IS-IS]
C1 --> C11[BGP]
style A fill:#19b,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style B fill:#17a,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
style C fill:#b10,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
| Protocol Name | Description | Common Usage |
|---|---|---|
| RIP (Routing Information Protocol) | A distance-vector protocol that uses hop count as a metric to determine the best path for data. | Common in smaller networks, often used for simpler configurations or legacy systems. |
| OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) | A link-state protocol that uses a more complex metric based on bandwidth to find the shortest path. It supports hierarchical network design and faster convergence. | Widely used in enterprise networks and large-scale IP routing. |
| BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) | A path-vector protocol used for routing between different autonomous systems (ASes). It uses policy-based routing and is crucial for inter-domain routing on the internet. | Used in the Internet backbone and large-scale networks to route between different organizations or ISPs. |
| EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol) | A hybrid routing protocol that combines features of both link-state and distance-vector protocols. It uses bandwidth, delay, load, and MTU to determine the best path. | Used primarily in Cisco networks for dynamic routing. |
| IS-IS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System) | A link-state routing protocol similar to OSPF, used for routing within large-scale networks. It is more flexible and scalable than OSPF. | Used in large-scale ISP and enterprise networks for inter-domain routing. |
| RIPng (Routing Information Protocol next generation) | The IPv6 version of RIP, using hop count as its metric, similar to RIP but designed for IPv6 networks. | Used in IPv6 networks for simpler routing in small to medium-sized networks. |
| BGP4 (Border Gateway Protocol version 4) | The most common version of BGP, used to route data between different autonomous systems, primarily on the internet. | Essential for global internet routing. |
| OSPFv3 (Open Shortest Path First version 3) | The version of OSPF designed to support IPv6, with similar functionality to OSPF but optimized for IPv6. | Used for IPv6 networks, maintaining hierarchical routing and efficient pathfinding. |
| IGRP (Interior Gateway Routing Protocol) | A proprietary Cisco distance-vector protocol, similar to RIP but with more advanced features. | Legacy Cisco networks before EIGRP became more popular. |
Explanation of Protocol Types:
- Distance-Vector Protocols: These protocols (like RIP, RIPng, IGRP) use a simple metric (such as hop count) to decide the best route.
- Link-State Protocols: Protocols like OSPF and IS-IS use a more complex approach, maintaining a full map of the network's topology to determine the best route.
- Path-Vector Protocols: BGP is a path-vector protocol that uses paths, policies, and network attributes for routing decisions.