10.1.1.0/24 .

1 e0

RTA .1 s0

10.1.2.0/24 .2 s0

RTB

10.1.3.0/24 .1 e0

X
Previous routing tables

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.1.0/24 0 e0 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 1 10.1.2.2

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 (down) e0 10.1.1.0/24 1 10.1.2.1

Routing Update Next-hop Net. Hops Address 10.1.3.0/24 16 10.1.2.2

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.1.0/24 0 e0 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 (down) 10.1.2.2

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 (down) e0 10.1.1.0/24 1 10.1.2.1

New routing tables

Split Horizon Enabled 10.1.3.0/24 down

RTB notices 10.1.3.0/24 is down and puts this route into hold-down state in its routing table. (hold-down coming next) RTB immediately sends out a triggered update for only this route (if there were others in the routing table) with a metric of infinity, 16. RTA receives the triggered update and puts the route for 10.1.3.0/24 into holddown state.

10.1.1.0/24 .1 e0

RTA .1 s0

10.1.2.0/24 .2 s0

RTB

10.1.3.0/24 .1 e0

X
Previous routing tables

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.1.0/24 0 e0 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 1 10.1.2.2

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 (down) e0 10.1.1.0/24 1 10.1.2.1

Routing Update Next-hop Net. Hops Address 10.1.3.0/24 16 10.1.2.2

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.1.0/24 0 e0 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 (down) 10.1.2.2

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 (down) e0 10.1.1.0/24 1 10.1.2.1

New routing tables

Split Horizon Enabled 10.1.3.0/24 down

Notice that RTA never sends RTB a routing update for 10.1.3.0/24, because split horizon is enabled on these interfaces.

Split Horizon with Poison Reverse

10.1.1.0/24 .1 e0 RTA 10.1.2.0/24 .1 s0 .2 s0 RTB 10.1.3.0/24 .1 e0 Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.1.0/24 0 e0 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 1 10.1.2.2 Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 0 e0 10.1.1.0/24 1 10.1.2.1

Routing Update Next-hop Net. Hops Address 10.1.1.0/24 1 10.1.1.1 10.1.2.0/24 16 10.1.2.1 10.1.3.0/24 16 10.1.2.1

Routing Update Next-hop Net. Hops Address 10.1.3.0/24 1 10.1.2.2 10.1.2.0/24 16 10.1.2.2 10.1.1.0/24 16 10.1.2.2

Split Horizon with Poison Reverse

Poisoned routes in red. Routing tables remain the same.

Many vendor implementations of distance vector routing protocols like Ciscos RIP and IGRP apply a special kind of split horizon, called split horizon with poison reverse. Split horizon with poison reverse means that, instead of not advertising routes to the source, routes are advertised back to the source with a metric of 16, which will make the source router ignore the route. It is perceived that explicitly telling a router to ignore a route is better than not telling it about the route in the first place. (Lewis, Cisco TCP/IP Routing) One drawback is that routing update packet sizes will be increased when using Poison Reverse, since they now include these routes.

10.1.1.0/24 .1 e0

Split Horizon Enabled

RTA 10.1.2.0/24 .1 s0 .2 s0 RTB .1 e0 Routing Table

10.1.3.0/24

Routing Table Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 0 e0 10.1.1.0/24 1 10.1.2.1

Net. Hops Ex-Int 10.1.1.0/24 0 e0 10.1.2.0/24 0 s0 10.1.3.0/24 1 10.1.2.2

Routing Update Next-hop Net. Hops Address 10.1.1.0/24 1 10.1.1.1 10.1.2.0/24 16 10.1.2.1 10.1.3.0/24 16 10.1.2.1

Routing Update Next-hop Net. Hops Address 10.1.3.0/24 1 10.1.2.2 10.1.2.0/24 16 10.1.2.2 10.1.1.0/24 16 10.1.2.2

Poisoned routes in red.

Split Horizon Enabled by Default

Split horizon with poison reverse is enabled by default for all interfaces except: Physical interfaces or multipoint sub-interfaces using Frame Relay or SMDS encapsulation (CCNA Semester 4 and CCNP Remote Access)
To disable split horizon on an interface: Router(config-if)# no ip split-horizon To enable split horizon on an interface: Router(config-if)# ip split-horizon

Holddown timers The main function of holddown timers is to prevent the distance vector routing protocol from establishing routing loops during periods of network transition (topology changes). The rule: Once a route is marked unreachable, it must stay in this state for a period of time assumed sufficient for all routers to receive new information about the unreachable network. In essence, we instruct the routers to let the rumors calm down and then to pick up the truth. (Zinin, Cisco IP Routing) The amount of time a router remains in this state is determined by the holddown timer.