Using Dynamic Routing

Static routing tables are most efficient when there are a limited number of routers. If the
network has only one router, the correct configuration is to use a static default route. Use
dynamic routing protocols when the routing environment of a network is changeable or
complex; for example, when there are multiple routers that can reach the same destinations.
Routing Protocols
Routing and routing protocols are not the same thing. All Linux systems make routing
decisions, but very few systems run routing protocols. Routing protocols perform two
functions: They select the "best" route to a destination, and they communicate that route to
other routers on the network. Thus a routing protocol is a technique for defining routes and
for disseminating routes.
There are several different routing protocols, and considering the fact that Linux systems are
not usually used as routers, a surprising number of these protocols are available for Linux
systems.
Protocols are differentiated by the metric they use for determining the best route and by the
technique they use for distributing routing information.
Routing protocols are divided into interior protocols and exterior protocols. Interior protocols
are used inside of a routing domain. Exterior protocols are used to exchange routing
information between routing domains. Within your enterprise network, you use an interior
routing protocol. It is possible that you will use an exterior routing protocol between your
network and your ISP, but even that is unlikely. Most corporate networks are located within
the ISP's routing domain, and therefore use an interior routing protocol to talk to the ISP.
Following is an overview of three interior protocolsRouting Information Protocol (RIP),
Routing Information Protocol Version 2 (RIPv2), and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)and
one exterior protocol, Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).