Introduction

OSPF, being a link-state protocol, allows for every router in the network to know of every link
and OSPF speaker in the entire network. From this picture each router independently runs
the Shortest Path First (SPF) algorithm to determine the best path through the network. All of
this information is stored in the "Link State Database" (LSDB). Every network engineer has
seen the LSDB at some point by running show ip ospf database but few actually know
how to read the details. By looking only at the LSDB we should have enough information to
draw a topology diagram from scratch.

Link State Advertisements

OSPF uses "Link State Advertisements" (LSAs) to provide information about links and link-
costs to neighboring OSPF speakers. OSPF defines multiple LSAs, which all serve a
different purpose.

Who Generates the LSA?

LSA Type What is Accomplished?

Type 1 -
How routers advertise their
Every router in every area
Router connected interfaces
LSA

The DR collects all the Type 1

Type 2 - LSAs and sends out a single
Type 2 representing all of the
DRs on all non-point-to-point links
Network routers on the link. This is
LSA used to build the Shortest Path
Tree

Type 3 - ABRs send a single LSA

representing all of the Type 1
and Type 2 LSAs in an area.
Network Area Border Routers (ABRs)
This reduces the number of
Summary LSAs on the routers in other
LSA areas.

Type 4 -
ABRs connected to an area where Type 4 LSAs are sent to other
ASBR external routes (Type 5) are areas to build the Shortest
Summary originated Path Tree to an ASBR.
LSA

Routers with
This represents any external
Type 5 - the redistribute command that
routes redistributed into OSPF.
are not in a NSSA area
AS
External
LSA

Type 7 -
Type 5 LSAs are not allowed
Routers with
in Stub Areas. Type 7 LSAs
NSSA the redistribute command
allow external information to
External that are in a NSSA area
pass through NSSA areas.
LSA

Building the Topology

Starting on a router named r120 we can get a high level overview of the network (or at least
our Area).

First, who are we (what is our Router ID)?

r120#show ip ospf data

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.120) (Process ID 1)

Next, who are the other routers in our area?

Router Link States (Area 1)

Link ID ADV Router Age Seq# Checksum Link

count

10.0.0.111 10.0.0.111 600 0x8000023A 0x0092B3 1

10.0.0.112 10.0.0.112 1246 0x80000234 0x009CAC 1

10.0.0.113 10.0.0.113 148 0x8000022C 0x004399 3

10.0.0.120 10.0.0.120 152 0x80000240 0x0046CB 1

This tells us there are four routers in Area 1. The router with RID 10.0.0.113 has 3 links in
Area 1, every one else has only 1 link.

Next, who are all of the DRs in this Area? What network segments do they represent?

Net Link States (Area 1)

Link ID ADV Router Age Seq# Checksum

192.168.1.112 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000237 0x00D860

192.168.7.113 10.0.0.113 12 0x80000001 0x00E8F5

Routers 10.0.0.112 and 10.0.0.113 are the router IDs of the DRs for two
segments. 192.168.1.112 and 192.168.7.113 represent the IP address of the DR
on that segment. We will see later that if we were to look at the Router LSA for 10.0.0.112,
for example, we would see 192.168.1.112 as one of the interfaces owned by that router.

The Summary Network LSAs (Type 3) are generated by the ABRs and will give us
information about every segment in the network, outside of our Area. Type 1 and Type 2
LSAs are not flooded beyond an ABR. The ABR is responsible for taking all of the
information in Type 1 and Type 2 LSAs and repackaging them into Type 3 LSAs.

Summary Net Link States (Area 1)

Link ID ADV Router Age Seq# Checksum

10.0.0.119 10.0.0.111 1215 0x8000022A 0x00A845

10.0.0.119 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000229 0x00A449

192.168.0.0 10.0.0.111 1215 0x80000234 0x00D842

192.168.0.0 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000233 0x00D446

192.168.2.0 10.0.0.111 1215 0x80000234 0x0027E7

192.168.2.0 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000233 0x0023EB

192.168.3.0 10.0.0.111 1215 0x80000232 0x008481

192.168.3.0 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000232 0x007E86

192.168.4.0 10.0.0.111 1215 0x80000232 0x00798B

192.168.4.0 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000232 0x007390

192.168.5.0 10.0.0.111 1215 0x80000232 0x006E95

192.168.5.0 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000232 0x00689A

192.168.6.0 10.0.0.111 1215 0x80000231 0x00C930

192.168.6.0 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000231 0x00C335

From this we know Area 1 has two ABRs with RIDs 10.0.0.111 and 10.0.0.112. We also see
a total of 7 segments in the entire OSPF network. Each network is seen twice because each
ABR generates its own LSA. Two ABRs means two LSAs.

Type 4, Summary Network LSAs are next. These are generated by the ABRs
(10.0.0.111 and 10.0.0.112) to represent any routers or ABRs outside of our Area that is
passing along Type 5 (external LSAs). This may be a little confusing at this point but it will
make more sense when we start working through the topology.
Summary ASB Link States (Area 1)

Link ID ADV Router Age Seq# Checksum

10.0.0.114 10.0.0.111 1215 0x80000232 0x00E915

10.0.0.114 10.0.0.112 1862 0x80000232 0x00E31A

Finally the external routes are represented by Type 5 LSAs.

Type-5 AS External Link States

Link ID ADV Router Age Seq# Checksum Tag

172.16.0.113 10.0.0.113 631 0x80000001 0x00F006 0

172.16.0.118 10.0.0.114 678 0x80000001 0x009775 0

Here we see two different prefixes being redistributed into OSPF. The ADV Router is either
the configured with the redistribute command (10.0.0.113) or an ABR connected to a
NSSA area where redistribution is happening.

With this information let's build some high level topologies. First, start with what we know
from the Type 1 LSAs (all the routers in our area)

We will skip the Type 2 Network LSAs for now and go to the Type 3 Summary Network
LSAs. This gives us the other subnets in the network and the ABRs for Area 1
The Type 4 ASBR Summary LSAs let us know that 10.0.0.114 is also an ABR on Area 0

and finally, the Type 5's tell us about the externals. Using the "ADV Router" field we can
figure out where those routes come from.
Just from looking at the summary information in the database we've been able to put a lot of
information together. Now we can start looking into the LSAs to get an idea of what the
connectivity of Area 1 looks like.

We will start with router r120. Since we don't know anything about the links r120 has, we
start with a router with no connections.

To see the connections on r120 we'll need to look at the Router LSA that is generated by
r120 (remember: Router LSAs are represented by the Router ID)

r120#show ip ospf database router 10.0.0.120

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.120) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 1)

LS age: 408

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.120

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.120

 LS Seq Number: 8000023C

Checksum: 0x815

Length: 36

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.7.113

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.7.120

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

From this we know a few things:

1.) There is a single interface with IP 192.168.7.120

2.) There is a least one other router on this segment with IP 192.168.7.113, and this is the
DR

2a.) Because there is a DR, we know this interface is multi-access (not point-to-point)

3.) The Router ID (10.0.0.120) is not advertised in OSPF (becuase there is no link
information representing the router ID)

4.) The metric we are advertising is 10

We have an IP and a DR, but we don't know the subnet mask or which router in Area 1 owns
the DR IP address. There is where the Type 2 LSA comes in. Remember the Type 2 is
generated by the DR for a segment, and represents that segment, so we look for the
segment DR.

r120#show ip ospf data network 192.168.7.113

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.120) (Process ID 1)

Net Link States (Area 1)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 93

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Network Links

 Link State ID: 192.168.7.113 (address of Designated Router)

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.113

LS Seq Number: 80000004

Checksum: 0xE2F8

Length: 32

Network Mask: /24

Attached Router: 10.0.0.113

Attached Router: 10.0.0.120

A lot of great information here. First, we see the advertising router, which is the Router ID of
the DR. In this case it's 10.0.0.113. Now we know who r120 is attached to. We also see
the network mask (/24) and all of the routers on the segment. In this case only r120
and 10.0.0.113 are on the segment. If there were other routers on this segment we would
see their Router IDs in the "Attached Router" list. So let's update the topology diagram.

Now we can look at the Router LSA of 10.0.0.113

r120#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.113

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.120) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 1)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 395
 Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.113

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.113

LS Seq Number: 80000256

Checksum: 0x5465

Length: 60

AS Boundary Router

Number of Links: 3

Link connected to: a Stub Network

(Link ID) Network/subnet number: 10.0.0.113

(Link Data) Network Mask: 255.255.255.255

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.7.113

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.7.113

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.1.112

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.1.113

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Here we see three interfaces: 10.0.0.113, 192.168.7.113 and 192.168.1.113. We see

that 10.0.0.113 is a "Stub Network". This does not have any relationship to a Stub Area, a
"stub network" is simply an interface with no OSPF neighbors on it. We can also see that we
are not the DR on the segment for 192.168.1.113. Let's take a look at the Type 2 for that
segment. Remember, the Type 2 is represented by the DR for that segment.

r120#show ip ospf data network 192.168.1.112

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.120) (Process ID 1)

Net Link States (Area 1)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 161

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Network Links

Link State ID: 192.168.1.112 (address of Designated Router)

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.112

LS Seq Number: 80000261

Checksum: 0x848A

Length: 36

Network Mask: /24

Attached Router: 10.0.0.112

Attached Router: 10.0.0.111

Attached Router: 10.0.0.113

We know that routers 10.0.0.112, 10.0.0.111 and 10.0.0.113 are all attached to this
segment. Now we can look at the Router LSAs for routers 10.0.0.112 and 10.0.0.111. This
will provide us with their interface IPs as well as any Stub Networks we haven't seen yet.

r120#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.111

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.120) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 1)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 1004

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

 LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.111

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.111

LS Seq Number: 80000264

Checksum: 0x3EDD

Length: 36

Area Border Router

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.1.112

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.1.111

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

r120#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.112

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.120) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 1)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 1444

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.112

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.112

LS Seq Number: 8000025E

Checksum: 0x48D6

Length: 36
 Area Border Router

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.1.112

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.1.112

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Now we know that the DR, 192.168.1.112, is router 10.0.0.112. We know that
router 10.0.0.111 is also connected to the 192.168.1.0/24 segment with IP 192.168.1.111.
We now know the entire topology for Area 1.

We know everything there is to know about Area 1. There is nothing to learn from router
10.0.0.113, since all of the links on that router are discovered. The next point to continue
mapping the network would be on one of the ABRs. We will start with 10.0.0.112, or r112.
Since r112 is an ABR it will have Type 1, 2, 3 and 4 information for both Area 1 and Area 0.
We will want to focus on the Area 0 information. Let's get started by looking at our own
Router LSA

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.112) (Process ID 1)

 Router Link States (Area 0)

LS age: 720

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.112

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.112

LS Seq Number: 80000262

Checksum: 0x20FD

Length: 36

Area Border Router

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.0.111

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.0.112

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Looks like we only have link 192.168.0.112 in this area, and we are not the DR on this
segment. Now we take a look at the Type 2 LSA for this segment.

r112#show ip ospf data network 192.168.0.111

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.112) (Process ID 1)

Net Link States (Area 0)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 388

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Network Links

Link State ID: 192.168.0.111 (address of Designated Router)

 Advertising Router: 10.0.0.111

LS Seq Number: 80000261

Checksum: 0x759F

Length: 36

Network Mask: /24

Attached Router: 10.0.0.111

Attached Router: 10.0.0.110

Attached Router: 10.0.0.112

We see that the advertising router represents the Router ID of the DR, or 10.0.0.111, who
we already know is the other ABR for Area 1. We also see that there is a third router on this
segment with Router ID 10.0.0.110. Let's get the interface information from 10.0.0.111

r112#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.111

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.112) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 0)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 700

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.111

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.111

LS Seq Number: 80000268

Checksum: 0x1605

Length: 36

Area Border Router

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

 (Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.0.111

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.0.111

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

One interface here, with IP 192.168.0.111. This is the same segment as r112 and
Router 10.0.0.110. Finally, let's look at 10.0.0.110

r112#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.110

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.112) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 0)

LS age: 1232

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.110

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.110

LS Seq Number: 80000263

Checksum: 0x4E09

Length: 48

Number of Links: 2

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.0.111

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.0.110

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10
 Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.2.110

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.2.110

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

We see that 10.0.0.110 owns the IP 192.168.0.110. We also see a second

interface, 192.168.2.110. On this second segment 10.0.0.110 is the DR. Let's up the
topology diagram for Area 0:

Let's keep moving down. First, we look at the Type 2 from 192.168.2.110, then we'll look at
the Type 1 LSAs from the other routers on this segment.

r112#show ip ospf data net 192.168.2.110

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.112) (Process ID 1)

Net Link States (Area 0)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 781

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Network Links

Link State ID: 192.168.2.110 (address of Designated Router)

 Advertising Router: 10.0.0.110

LS Seq Number: 80000261

Checksum: 0x1779

Length: 32

Network Mask: /24

Attached Router: 10.0.0.110

Attached Router: 10.0.0.114

And now the Type 1 for 10.0.0.114

r112#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.114

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.112) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 0)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 889

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.114

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.114

LS Seq Number: 80000265

Checksum: 0x1178

Length: 48

Area Border Router

AS Boundary Router

Number of Links: 2

Link connected to: a Stub Network

 (Link ID) Network/subnet number: 192.168.3.0

(Link Data) Network Mask: 255.255.255.0

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.2.110

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.2.114

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

We have two links again, one connected to the segment with 10.0.0.110 and a new
segment. Again, notice that the segment 192.168.3.0 is a Stub Network, so there are no
other OSPF speakers on this link. Now, before we think we've finished up, we haven't looked
at the Type 3 LSAs that are generated by ABRs. We don't know if there is another ABR in
Area 0, so let's look

Summary Net Link States (Area 0)

Link ID ADV Router Age Seq# Checksum

10.0.0.113 10.0.0.111 397 0x80000264 0x004394

10.0.0.113 10.0.0.112 17 0x80000264 0x003D99

10.0.0.119 10.0.0.114 1276 0x80000258 0x00715F

192.168.1.0 10.0.0.111 397 0x80000263 0x006F7B

192.168.1.0 10.0.0.112 792 0x80000262 0x006B7F

192.168.4.0 10.0.0.114 1036 0x80000261 0x0040A6

192.168.5.0 10.0.0.114 1036 0x80000261 0x0035B0

192.168.6.0 10.0.0.114 1036 0x80000260 0x00904B

192.168.7.0 10.0.0.111 397 0x80000265 0x008D4B

192.168.7.0 10.0.0.112 17 0x80000265 0x008750

Before addressing the new routes here, you can see the Type 3 LSAs in Area 0 that are
generated by the two ABRs, 10.0.0.111 and 10.0.0.112. These routes here are all of the
routes in Area 1, that we just described. This is how an ABR hides the details of an Area
from the rest of the network.

We see four new networks all coming from the ABR 10.0.0.114. Now we can update our
topology diagram of Area 0.

Again, we need to jump to our ABR to see what's going on in the rest of the network.

On r114 things get interesting. Looking at the LSAs we see that r114 is in 3 areas.

r114# show ip ospf data | i States

Router Link States (Area 0)

Net Link States (Area 0)

Summary Net Link States (Area 0)

Summary ASB Link States (Area 0)

Router Link States (Area 2)

Net Link States (Area 2)

Summary Net Link States (Area 2)

Router Link States (Area 3)

 Net Link States (Area 3)

Summary Net Link States (Area 3)

Type-7 AS External Link States (Area 3)

Type-5 AS External Link States

But things look a little fishy in Area 2 and Area 3. Notice that Area 2 has no "Summary ASB
Link States" (Type 4). Also notice that Area 3 has "Type-7 AS External Link States".

Let's start with Area 2.

If we are in an area that does not have any Type 4 LSAs, that area can not have external
routes. OSPF works by linking the information carried in a Type-4 LSA to the information
carried in the Type-5 LSA to build a tree. OSPF Stub areas do not allow any external
information, matching this description. We can assume that Area 2 is a Stub Area.

Again, let's get a lay of the land by looking at the Router LSA summaries.

Router Link States (Area 2)

Link ID ADV Router Age Seq# Checksum Link

count

10.0.0.114 10.0.0.114 23 0x8000026C 0x00B250 1

10.0.0.115 10.0.0.115 1584 0x80000269 0x00B350 1

10.0.0.116 10.0.0.116 745 0x8000026E 0x00F225 2

10.0.0.119 10.0.0.119 706 0x8000026B 0x0074E7 2

We can see there are four routers in the area. 10.0.0.116 and 10.0.0.119 both have two
links.

Now let's look at our Router LSA

r114#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.114

Router Link States (Area 2)

LS age: 1234

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.114

 Advertising Router: 10.0.0.114

LS Seq Number: 80000265

Checksum: 0xC049

Length: 36

Area Border Router

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.5.114

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.5.114

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Now the Type-2, Network LSA

r114#show ip ospf data net 192.168.5.114

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Net Link States (Area 2)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 1312

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Network Links

Link State ID: 192.168.5.114 (address of Designated Router)

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.114

LS Seq Number: 80000263

Checksum: 0xD429

Length: 36

Network Mask: /24

 Attached Router: 10.0.0.114

Attached Router: 10.0.0.115

Attached Router: 10.0.0.116

Next, the Router LSA (Type-1) of our Attached Routers

r114#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.115

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 2)

LS age: 1000

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.115

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.115

LS Seq Number: 80000263

Checksum: 0xBF4A

Length: 36

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.5.114

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.5.115

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

r114#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.116

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 2)

LS age: 269
 Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.116

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.116

LS Seq Number: 80000268

Checksum: 0xFE1F

Length: 48

Number of Links: 2

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.5.114

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.5.116

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.6.119

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.6.116

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Let's digest this here. First 10.0.0.115 has a single interface with IP 192.168.5.115. Next we
see 10.0.0.116 with two interfaces, 192.168.5.116 and 192.168.6.116. Let's update the
topology and then take a look at the segment with DR 192.168.6.119. This must be the
router 10.0.0.119, the only router in Area 2 we haven't looked at yet.
Remember that routers 10.0.0.116 and 10.0.0.119 both had two links. We have discovered
the two links on 10.0.0.116, but we still have one link on 10.0.0.119 to find, so let's look at
the Type-1 for 10.0.0.119

r114#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.119

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 2)

LS age: 1272

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.119

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.119

LS Seq Number: 8000026B

Checksum: 0x74E7

Length: 48

Number of Links: 2

Link connected to: a Stub Network

 (Link ID) Network/subnet number: 10.0.0.119

(Link Data) Network Mask: 255.255.255.255

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.6.119

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.6.119

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

Now we have discovered all of the links in Area 2. Because Area 2 still receives Type-3
LSAs, it will know about all of the links in the OSPF network. The only thing it will not have
will be the external routes that are injected into OSPF.
Remember that r114 was in three Areas: Area 0, Areas 2 and Area 3. Before digging into
Area 3, let's take another look at the LSAs that exist in Area 3.

r114#show ip ospf data | i Area 3

Router Link States (Area 3)

Net Link States (Area 3)

Summary Net Link States (Area 3)

Type-7 AS External Link States (Area 3)

We see Type 1 (Router Link States), Type 2 (Net Link State), Type 3 (Summary
Net Link) and Type 7 (Type-7 AS External). Similar to Area 2, we do not see Type 4
or Type 5 LSAs. However we see Type-7 LSAs, which only exist in Not So Stubby
Areas (NSSA). In a normal Stub area external route information is not allowed. NSSA areas
allow us to have all of the features of a Stub area (no externals from other parts of the
network) while still allowing external information to be originated in this area. To accomplish
this, NSSA areas do not allow Type-5 (normal external LSAs) and use a special Type-7
LSAs. When the Type-7 arrives on the ABR (r114 in this case), the ABR must convert this
Type-7 to a Type-5 for the rest of the network. We'll take a look at this process in a little
while.

First, let's see how many routers and links are in Area 3
 Router Link States (Area 3)

Link ID ADV Router Age Seq# Checksum Link

count

10.0.0.114 10.0.0.114 1610 0x80000335 0x00B37A 1

10.0.0.117 10.0.0.117 1344 0x80000333 0x00A881 1

10.0.0.118 10.0.0.118 802 0x80000332 0x00AE77 1

We have 3 routers, each with 1 link. Now, as always, take a look at our Type-1

r114#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.114

Router Link States (Area 3)

LS age: 723

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.114

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.114

LS Seq Number: 80000334

Checksum: 0xB579

Length: 36

Area Border Router

AS Boundary Router

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.4.117

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.4.114

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

A single link with IP 192.168.4.114 and DR 192.168.4.117. Now the Type-2

r114#show ip ospf data net 192.168.4.117

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Net Link States (Area 3)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 635

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Network Links

Link State ID: 192.168.4.117 (address of Designated Router)

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.117

LS Seq Number: 80000330

Checksum: 0xCE50

Length: 36

Network Mask: /24

Attached Router: 10.0.0.117

Attached Router: 10.0.0.114

Attached Router: 10.0.0.118

Here are three routers attached to this segment. r114, the DR and a third router. Now the
Type-1 LSAs for the other routers.

r114#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.117

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 3)

LS age: 794

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.117

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.117

 LS Seq Number: 80000333

Checksum: 0xA881

Length: 36

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.4.117

(Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.4.117

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

r114#show ip ospf data router 10.0.0.118

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Router Link States (Area 3)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 257

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: Router Links

Link State ID: 10.0.0.118

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.118

LS Seq Number: 80000332

Checksum: 0xAE77

Length: 36

AS Boundary Router

Number of Links: 1

Link connected to: a Transit Network

(Link ID) Designated Router address: 192.168.4.117

 (Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.4.118

Number of MTID metrics: 0

TOS 0 Metrics: 10

We see IPs 192.168.4.118 and 192.168.4.117. Here's the topology for Area 3.

But let's not forget about the Type-7 LSAs we saw earlier. Because these are Type-7, we
are not looking at external LSAs but nssa-external LSAs

r114#show ip ospf data nssa-external

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Type-7 AS External Link States (Area 3)

Routing Bit Set on this LSA in topology Base with MTID 0

LS age: 952

Options: (No TOS-capability, Type 7/5 translation, DC)

LS Type: AS External Link

Link State ID: 172.16.0.118 (External Network Number )

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.118

LS Seq Number: 800000FF

 Checksum: 0xEC13

Length: 36

Network Mask: /32

Metric Type: 2 (Larger than any link state path)

MTID: 0

Metric: 20

Forward Address: 192.168.4.118

External Route Tag: 0

This is the LSA representing the external network 172.16.0.118/32. Within this area the
routers should send traffic for this destination to the Forwarding Address of 192.168.4.118.
Once the LSA arrives on the ABR, r114, it will be converted into a Type-5 LSA and sent to
all other areas (that aren't stubs, meaning that Area 2 will not see this LSA). We can confirm
this by looking at the Type-5 LSAs

r114#show ip ospf data external 172.16.0.118

OSPF Router with ID (10.0.0.114) (Process ID 1)

Type-5 AS External Link States

LS age: 146

Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)

LS Type: AS External Link

Link State ID: 172.16.0.118 (External Network Number )

Advertising Router: 10.0.0.114

LS Seq Number: 80000101

Checksum: 0x9477

Length: 36

Network Mask: /32

Metric Type: 2 (Larger than any link state path)

MTID: 0
 Metric: 20

Forward Address: 192.168.4.118

External Route Tag: 0

Here we see the Type-5 originated not by 10.0.0.118, like the Type-7, but by 10.0.0.114.
This is due to the Type-7 to Type-5 conversion. Since r114 is generating a new LSA it sets
itself as the Advertising Router. You'll also notice that the Forwarding Address has
remained the same. When other routers in the network build the tree to reach this external
destination they will build to the best ABR to reach this network (since it would be part of a
Type-3 LSA). For more information on Forwarding Addresses, there is a great doc on
Cisco.com.

With all of this information we can finish the topology for Area 3

and then for the entire OSPF network.

Summary
Hopefully reading the OSPF topology is a little more clear now. The less obvious takeaways
are how OSPF scales by hiding topology information. You noticed that in an area we have a
large number of Type 1 and Type 2 LSAs. Outside of that area there is only a single Type-3
LSA generated by each ABR. We can also use Stub Areas to hide external information,
keeping even less information in the LSDB of the routers in those areas.

Finally, think about how each LSA type links together. OSPF's SPF algorithm links different
pieces of information together. For a router in Area 1 to reach the external route in Area 3, it
has to look at the Type-5 that represents the external route. Then it has to look at the Type-4
representing the ABR on the area that the ASBR lives in. Then we have to look at the Type-
3 to get to that remote ABR. Finally we look at the Type-1 and Type-2 LSAs in our area to
determine how to get to our closest ABR.

Each LSA serves a specific purpose and they all fit together to supply end-to-end
connectivity.