Routing and Switching

James Jefferson S. De Vera

 Routing and Switching:
Dynamic Routing (OSPF &
EIGRP)
James Jefferson S. De Vera
 What is Dynamic Routing?
•Dynamic Routing: Automatically
learns and adapts routes based on
network topology changes.
•Routing Protocols: Enable routers to
exchange information about the
network and determine optimal paths.
•Advantages: Scalability, adaptability,
fault tolerance, and reduced
administrative overhead compared to
static routing.
 What is Dynamic Routing?
● Dynamic routing is a method of
automatically learning and adapting
the paths that data packets take
through a network.
● Unlike static routing, where routes are
manually configured and fixed,
dynamic routing uses routing protocols
to discover the network topology and
determine the best paths for data
packets to travel.
 What is Dynamic Routing?
● Think of dynamic routing as a GPS
system that constantly updates your
route based on real-time traffic
conditions. In a network, dynamic
routing protocols exchange information
about the network's topology and use
algorithms to calculate the optimal
paths for data packets.
 Example

● In a large enterprise network with multiple branches,

dynamic routing protocols can automatically adapt to
changes like a new branch office opening, a link failure,
or increased traffic. This ensures that data packets
always take the most efficient route, even as the
network evolves.
 Routing Protocols:
Routing protocols are the sets of rules that govern how routers
communicate and share information about the network. Some
common dynamic routing protocols include:
● Open Shortest Path First (OSPF): A link-state protocol that maintains

a complete map of the network topology.

● Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP): A hybrid

protocol that combines the benefits of distance-vector and link-

state protocols.
● Border Gateway Protocol (BGP): A path vector protocol used to

exchange routing information between different autonomous

systems (AS) on the internet.
 Advantages of Dynamic Routing:

● Scalability: Dynamic routing is ideal for large and

complex networks, as it can easily adapt to changes and
scale with the network's growth.
● Adaptability: Dynamic routing protocols automatically
detect and adjust to changes in the network topology,
such as new links, failed links, or congestion. This
ensures that data packets are always routed along the
best available path.
 Advantages of Dynamic Routing:

● Scalability: Dynamic routing is ideal for large and

complex networks, as it can easily adapt to changes and
scale with the network's growth.
● Adaptability: Dynamic routing protocols automatically
detect and adjust to changes in the network topology,
such as new links, failed links, or congestion. This
ensures that data packets are always routed along the
best available path.
 Advantages of Dynamic Routing:

● Fault Tolerance: If a link fails, dynamic routing protocols

automatically recalculate the routes to bypass the
outage, providing high availability and reliability.
● Reduced Administrative Overhead: Dynamic routing
reduces the manual configuration burden on network
administrators, as they don't need to update routes
every time the network changes.
 Advantages of Dynamic Routing:

● Fault Tolerance: If a link fails, dynamic routing protocols

automatically recalculate the routes to bypass the
outage, providing high availability and reliability.
● Reduced Administrative Overhead: Dynamic routing
reduces the manual configuration burden on network
administrators, as they don't need to update routes
every time the network changes.
Key Points:

● Dynamic routing is a powerful and essential tool for

managing large, complex networks.
● Its ability to automatically learn and adapt to changes
makes it ideal for ensuring network efficiency, reliability,
and scalability.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
1. Complexity:
○ Configuration: Dynamic routing protocols often require a deeper

understanding of networking concepts and have more complex

configuration options compared to static routing. Misconfigurations
can lead to routing errors, loops, or even network instability.
○ Troubleshooting: When issues arise, troubleshooting dynamic

routing can be more challenging due to the dynamic nature of route

updates and the interactions between different protocols.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
1. Complexity:
○ Configuration: Dynamic routing protocols often require a deeper

understanding of networking concepts and have more complex

configuration options compared to static routing. Misconfigurations
can lead to routing errors, loops, or even network instability.
○ Troubleshooting: When issues arise, troubleshooting dynamic

routing can be more challenging due to the dynamic nature of route

updates and the interactions between different protocols.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
2. Resource Consumption:
• CPU and Memory: Dynamic routing protocols demand more
processing power and memory on routers compared to static
routing. This is because they continuously calculate and update
routing tables, exchange information with other routers, and
maintain protocol-specific data structures.
• Bandwidth: Dynamic routing protocols also consume bandwidth to
exchange routing updates with neighboring routers. In networks
with limited bandwidth, this could potentially impact other traffic.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
2. Resource Consumption:
• CPU and Memory: Dynamic routing protocols demand more
processing power and memory on routers compared to static
routing. This is because they continuously calculate and update
routing tables, exchange information with other routers, and
maintain protocol-specific data structures.
• Bandwidth: Dynamic routing protocols also consume bandwidth to
exchange routing updates with neighboring routers. In networks
with limited bandwidth, this could potentially impact other traffic.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
3. Convergence Time:
• Initial Convergence: When a network starts up or experiences a
significant change, it takes time for dynamic routing protocols to
converge. This means that it may take a while for all routers to learn
the correct routes and establish optimal paths. During this time,
some packets may be lost or delayed.
• Reconvergence after Failure: When a link or router fails, dynamic
routing protocols need to recalculate routes, which can also
introduce a temporary period of instability and potential packet loss.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
3. Convergence Time:
• Initial Convergence: When a network starts up or experiences a
significant change, it takes time for dynamic routing protocols to
converge. This means that it may take a while for all routers to learn
the correct routes and establish optimal paths. During this time,
some packets may be lost or delayed.
• Reconvergence after Failure: When a link or router fails, dynamic
routing protocols need to recalculate routes, which can also
introduce a temporary period of instability and potential packet loss.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
4. Security Vulnerabilities:
• Potential for Attacks: Dynamic routing protocols rely on
exchanging routing information between routers, which opens
up potential avenues for attacks. Malicious actors could inject
false routing information into the network, causing traffic to be
misdirected or intercepted.
• Mitigations: To mitigate security risks, it's important to
implement authentication mechanisms and use best practices
for securing routing protocols.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
4. Security Vulnerabilities:
• Potential for Attacks: Dynamic routing protocols rely on
exchanging routing information between routers, which opens
up potential avenues for attacks. Malicious actors could inject
false routing information into the network, causing traffic to be
misdirected or intercepted.
• Mitigations: To mitigate security risks, it's important to
implement authentication mechanisms and use best practices
for securing routing protocols.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
5. Unpredictability:
• Changing Paths: The paths that data packets take can change
dynamically as the network topology or traffic conditions
change. This can make it difficult to troubleshoot issues or
guarantee specific performance characteristics for certain types
of traffic.
• Not Suitable for All Scenarios: In some cases, where strict
control over traffic flow is required or where the network is
small and stable, static routing might be a better choice.
 Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing:
5. Unpredictability:
• Changing Paths: The paths that data packets take can change
dynamically as the network topology or traffic conditions
change. This can make it difficult to troubleshoot issues or
guarantee specific performance characteristics for certain types
of traffic.
• Not Suitable for All Scenarios: In some cases, where strict
control over traffic flow is required or where the network is
small and stable, static routing might be a better choice.
Key Points:

● While dynamic routing offers significant advantages in

terms of scalability, adaptability, and fault tolerance, it is
essential to consider its limitations, particularly in terms
of complexity, resource usage, and security
vulnerabilities. By understanding these disadvantages,
network administrators can make informed decisions
about whether to use dynamic routing or a combination
of static and dynamic routing to meet the specific needs
of their network.
 Purpose of Dynamic Routing Protocols
•Network Discovery: Routers learn about
the topology of the network.
•Optimal Path Selection: Routers
determine the best paths to reach different
networks.
•Fault Tolerance: If a link fails, routers
automatically recalculate routes to avoid
the outage.
•Scalability: Dynamic routing protocols
can adapt to changes in large networks.
 Network Discovery

Dynamic routing protocols enable

routers to discover the topology
(layout) of the network automatically.
Routers exchange information about
the networks they are directly
connected to, and this information is
propagated throughout the network.
This allows each router to build a map
of the network's structure.
 Example

Imagine a new router is added to a network. Dynamic

routing protocols will automatically detect this new router
and share information about the networks it's connected
to with other routers in the network.
 Optimal Path Selection

Dynamic routing protocols not only

discover the network but also
determine the best paths to reach
different destinations. They use
metrics like hop count, bandwidth,
delay, and reliability to calculate the
optimal route for each destination.
 Example

If there are multiple paths between two routers, the

dynamic routing protocol will evaluate each path based on
the defined metric and choose the one with the lowest
cost. This ensures that data packets are always sent along
the most efficient route.
 Fault Tolerance

Dynamic routing protocols provide

fault tolerance by automatically
detecting and responding to network
failures. If a link goes down, the
protocol will quickly recalculate the
routes to bypass the outage and find
alternative paths to the destination.
 Example

In the event of a fiber optic cable cut, dynamic routing

protocols will immediately identify the failure, withdraw
the corresponding routes from the routing tables, and
propagate new routes that avoid the affected link. This
allows the network to quickly recover from failures and
maintain connectivity.
 Scalability

Dynamic routing protocols are

designed to scale with the size and
complexity of the network. As the
network grows, they can efficiently
handle a large number of routes and
adapt to changes without requiring
manual intervention.
 Example

A large enterprise network with hundreds or thousands of

routers can rely on dynamic routing protocols to maintain
accurate routing tables and efficiently route traffic across
the network, even as new devices and links are added.
Key Points:

● Dynamic routing protocols automate network discovery,

path selection, fault recovery, and scaling, making them
essential for modern networks.
● They provide significant advantages over static routing in
terms of adaptability, reliability, and efficiency.
● By understanding the purpose of dynamic routing
protocols, network engineers can design and implement
robust and scalable network infrastructures.
 Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

•Link-State Protocol: Maintains a complete map of the

network's topology.
•Areas: Divides large networks into smaller areas for
easier management and faster convergence.
•Metric: Cost is the primary metric used by OSPF to
calculate the best path.
•Open Standard: OSPF is an open standard protocol,
making it widely adopted in the industry.
 Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol
(EIGRP)
•Hybrid Protocol: Combines features of both distance-vector and
link-state protocols.
•Diffusing Update Algorithm (DUAL): Ensures loop-free paths
and fast convergence.
•Composite Metric: Considers bandwidth, delay, reliability, and
load to calculate the best path.
•Cisco Proprietary: EIGRP was developed by Cisco but is now
an open standard
RIPv2 (Routing Information Protocol version 2)

RIPv2 is a distance-vector routing

protocol that allows routers to
dynamically exchange information
about the network topology. It's a
relatively simple protocol, best suited
for small to medium-sized networks
where ease of configuration and
management are priorities.
How RIPv2 Works:
● Regular Updates: Routers running RIPv2 periodically (typically every
30 seconds) broadcast their entire routing table to their directly
connected neighbors. This table includes information about known
networks, their distances (measured in hop count), and the next-
hop router to reach each destination.
● Hop Count Metric: RIPv2 uses hop count as its metric to determine
the best path to a destination. A hop is simply a router that a packet
passes through. The path with the lowest hop count is considered
the most efficient.
How RIPv2 Works:
● Distance Vector Algorithm: When a router receives a routing
update, it compares the received information with its own routing
table. If it finds a better route (lower hop count) to a destination, it
updates its table accordingly. This process continues as routers
share updates, gradually building a complete picture of the
network.
● Limitations: RIPv2 has a maximum hop count of 15, which means it
cannot be used in large networks where paths might exceed this
limit. Additionally, it can be slow to converge (adjust to changes) in
complex networks, as updates are broadcast at regular intervals
regardless of whether the topology has changed.
Advantages
● Simplicity: RIPv2 is relatively easy to configure and understand,
making it a good choice for smaller networks.
● Low Overhead: It consumes minimal resources on routers.
● Widely Supported: Most routers support RIPv2, making it a good
option for interoperability between different vendor equipment.
Disadvantages
● Scalability: RIPv2 is not suitable for large networks due to its hop
count limitation.
● Slow Convergence: It can take time for RIPv2 to adapt to changes in
the network topology.
● Inefficiency: RIPv2 can create suboptimal routing paths due to its
reliance on hop count as the sole metric.
Example

Let's say Router A is directly connected to Network 1 and

Network 2, and Router B is directly connected to Network
2 and Network 3. When RIPv2 is enabled on these routers,
they will exchange routing information periodically. Router
A will learn about Network 3 from Router B (with a hop
count of 2), and Router B will learn about Network 1 from
Router A (also with a hop count of 2).
 RIPv2 Configuration
•Configuring RIPv2 is a pretty straightforward process. Only three steps are
required:

•1. enabling RIP by using the router rip global configuration command
•2. instructing the router to use RIPv2 by typing the version 2 command
•3. telling RIP which networks to advertise by using one or
more network commands
•
•The first two commands are easy to comprehend, but the last command
requires a little bit more thought. With the network command you specify
which interfaces will participate in the routing process.
•This command takes a classfull network as a parameter and enables RIP
on the corresponding interfaces.
Let's configure our sample network to use RIP.

● Router R1 and R2 have directly connected subnets.

● We want to include these subnets in the RIP routing process.
● To do that, we first need to enable RIP on both routers and
then advertise these subnets using the network command.
● On router R1, in the global configuration mode, enter the router
rip command to enable RIP.
● In the RIP configuration mode, change the version of the protocol to
2 by using the version 2 command.
● Next, use the network 10.0.0.0 command to include the Fa0/1
interface on the router R1 in the routing process.
● Remember, the network command takes a classfull network
number as a parameter, so in this case every interface that has an IP
address that begins with 10 will be included in the RIP process (IP
addresses that begins with 10 are, by default, the class A addresses
and have the default subnet mask of 255.0.0.0).
● For instance, if another interface on the router had
the IP address of 10.1.0.1 it would also be included
in the routing process with the network command.
● You also need to include the link between the two
routers in the RIP routing process.
● This is done by adding another network statement,
network 172.16.0.0.
So, the configuration on R1
should look like this:
The configuration on R2 looks similar, but
with different network number for the
directly connected subnet:
 You can verify that router R1 have a route to the R2's directly
connected subnet by typing the show ip route command:

NOTE - the legend lists "R" for all RIP routes in the routing table. Also note that the
administrative distance of 120 is shown, together with the metric of 1.
Key Points:

● RIPv2 is a relatively simple routing protocol, making it

easy to configure and understand.
● It is best suited for small to medium-sized networks due
to its limitations in scalability and convergence time.
● RIPv2's configuration is essential for enabling the
protocol and ensuring it shares accurate routing
information with neighboring routers.