UNIT 1.

Lesson 5. Routing protocols

I. Read and translate the text. Use a dictionary to help you.

Routing is one of the most fundamental areas of networking that an

administrator has to know. Routing protocols determine how your data gets to its
destination and helps to make that routing process as smooth as possible. However,
there are so many different types of routing protocol that it can be very difficult to
keep track of them all!

Router protocols include:

 Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

 Interior Gateway Protocol (IGRP)
 Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
 Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP)
 Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)
 Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
 Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS)

Before we get to looking at the routing protocols themselves, it is important to

focus on the categories of protocols.

All routing protocols can be classified into the following:

 Distance Vector or Link State Protocols

 Interior Gateway Protocols (IGP) or Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGP)
 Classful or Classless Protocols

Distance vector routing protocols are protocols that use distance to work out
the best routing path for packets within a network.

These protocols measure the distance based on how many hops data has to
pass to get to its destination. The number of hops is essentially the number of routers
it takes to reach the destination.

Generally, distance vector protocols send a routing table full of information to

neighboring devices. This approach makes them low investment for administrators as
they can be deployed without much need to be managed. The only issue is that they
require more bandwidth to send on the routing tables and can run into routing loops as
well.

Link State Routing Protocols

Link state protocols take a different approach to finding the best routing path
in that they share information with other routers in proximity. The route is
calculated based on the speed of the path to the destination and the cost of
resources.

Link state routing protocols use an algorithm to work this out. One of the key
differences to a distance vector protocol is that link state protocols don’t send out
routing tables; instead, routers notify each other when route changes are detected.

Routers using the link state protocol create three types of tables; neighbor
table, topology table, and routing table. The neighbor table stores details of
neighboring routers using the link state routing protocol, the topology table stores the
whole network topology, and the routing table stores the most efficient routes.

IGP and EGPs

Routing protocols can also be categorized as Interior Gateway

Protocols (IGPs) or Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGPs).

IPGs

IGPs are routing protocols that exchange routing information with other routers
within a single autonomous system (AS). An AS is defined as one network or a
collection of networks under the control of one enterprise. The company AS is thus
separate from the ISP AS.

EGPs

On the other hand, EGPs are routing protocols that are used to transfer routing
information between routers in different autonomous systems. These protocols are
more complex and BGP is the only EGP protocol that you’re likely to encounter.
However, it is important to note that there is an EGP protocol named EGP.

Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

Routing Information Protocol or RIP is one of the first routing protocols to be

created. RIP is used in both Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area
Networks (WANs), and also runs on the Application layer of the OSI model. There
are multiple versions of RIP including RIPv1 and RIPv2. The original version or
RIPv1 determines network paths based on the IP destination and the hop count of the
journey.

RIPv1 interacts with the network by broadcasting its IP table to all routers
connected to the network. RIPv2 is a little more sophisticated than this and sends its
routing table on to a multicast address. RIPv2 also uses authentication to keep data
more secure and chooses a subnet mask and gateway for future traffic. The main
limitation of RIP is that it has a maximum hop count of 15 which makes it unsuitable
for larger networks.

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

Open Shortest Path First or OSPF protocol is a link-state IGP that was tailor-
made for IP networks using the Shortest Path First (SPF) algorithm. The SPF
routing algorithm is used to calculate the shortest path spanning-tree to ensure
efficient data transmission of packets. OSPF routers maintain databases detailing
information about the surrounding topology of the network. This database is filled
with data taken from Link State Advertisements (LSAs) sent by other routers. LSAs
are packets that detail information about how many resources a given path would
take.

OSPF also uses the Dijkstra algorithm to recalculate network paths when the
topology changes. This protocol is also relatively secure as it can authenticate
protocol changes to keep data secure. It is used by many organizations because it’s
scalable to large environments. Topology changes are tracked and OSPF can
recalculate compromised packet routes if a previously-used route has been blocked.

Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)

Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol or EIGRP is a distance vector

routing protocol that is used for IP, AppleTalk, and NetWare networks. EIGRP is a
Cisco proprietary protocol that was designed to follow on from the original IGRP
protocol. When using EIGRP, a router takes information from its neighbors’ routing
tables and records them. Neighbors are queried for a route and when a change occurs
the router notifies its neighbors about the change. This has the end result of making
neighboring routers aware of what is going on in nearby devices.

EIGRP is equipped with a number of features to maximize efficiency,

including Reliable Transport Protocol (RTP) and a Diffusing Update
Algorithm (DUAL). Packet transmissions are made more effective because routes are
recalculated to speed up the convergence process.
 Classful and Classless Routing Protocols

Routing protocols can also be categorized as classful and classless routing

protocols. The distinction between these two comes down to how they go about
executing routing updates. The debate between these two forms of routing is often
referred to as classful vs classless routing.

Classful Routing Protocols

Classful routing protocols don’t send subnet mask information during routing
updates but classless routing protocols do. RIPv1 and IGRP are considered to be
classful protocols. These two are classful protocols because they don’t include subnet
mask information in their routing updates. Classful routing protocols have since
become outdated by classless routing protocols.

Classless Routing Protocols

As mentioned above, classful routing protocols have been replaced by classless

routing protocols. Classless routing protocols send IP subnet mask information
during routing updates. RIPv2, EIGRP, OSPF, and IS-IS are all types of class
routing protocols that include subnet mask information within updates.

As you can see, routing protocols can be defined and thought of in a wide array
of different ways. The key is to think of routing protocols as distance vector or link
state protocols, IGP or EGP protocols, and classful or classless protocols. These are
the overarching categories that common routing protocols like RIP, IGRP, OSPF, and
BGP fall within.

Of course, within all of these categories, each protocol has its own nuances in
how it measures the best routing path, whether that is by hop count, delay, or other
factors. Learning everything you can about these protocols that you retain during day-
to-day networking will aid you greatly in real-world environment.
(https://www.comparitech.com/net-admin/routing-protocol-types-guide/)

VOCABULARY

TECHNICAL NON-TECHNICAL
Routing Information Protocol (RIP) ˗ determine ˗ визначити
протокол інформації про
маршрутизацію (RIP)
Interior Gateway Protocol (IGRP) ˗ smooth ˗ гладкий
протокол внутрішнього шлюзу (IGRP)
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) ˗ to keep track of them all ˗ щоб
спочатку відкрити найкоротший шлях
стежити за ними всіма
(OSPF)
Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP) ˗ measure ˗ міра
протокол зовнішнього шлюзу (EGP)
Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing essentially ˗ по суті
Protocol (EIGRP) ˗ розширений
внутрішній протокол маршрутизації
шлюзу (EIGRP)
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) ˗ low investment ˗ низькі інвестиції
протокол прикордонного шлюзу (BGP)
Intermediate System-to-Intermediate can be deployed ˗ можна розгорнути
System (IS-IS) ˗ проміжна система-
проміжна система (IS-IS)
Distance Vector Protocols ˗ протоколи issue ˗ проблема
вектора відстані
Link State Protocols ˗ протокол run into ˗ зіткнутися
маршрутизації на основі стану каналу
Interior Gateway Protocols (IGP) ˗ take a different approach ˗
протоколи внутрішнього шлюзу (IGP)
застосувати інший підхід
Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGP) ˗ in proximity ˗ в безпосередній
протоколи зовнішнього шлюзу (EGP)
близькості
Classful Protocols ˗ класові протоколи to work this out ˗ щоб це вирішити
Classless Protocols ˗ безкласові exchange ˗ обмін
протоколи
routing loops ˗ петлі маршрутизації enterprise ˗ підприємства
neighbor table   ˗ сусідська таблиця separate ˗ окремо
topology table ˗ таблиця топології you’re likely to encounter ˗ ви,
ймовірно, зіткнетеся
routing table ˗ таблиця маршрутизації limitation ˗ обмеження
a single autonomous system (AS) ˗ єдина tailor-made ˗ на замовлення
автономна система (АС)
Routing Information Protocol or RIP ˗ scalable to large environments ˗
протокол інформації про
масштабована до великих середовищ
маршрутизацію або RIP
broadcast ˗ передача convergence ˗ конвергенція
a multicast address ˗ групова адреса distinction ˗ відзнака
a subnet mask ˗ маска підмережі executing ˗ виконання
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) ˗ become outdated ˗ застаріти
протокол маршрутизації за принципом
вибору найкоротшого шляху (OSPF)
spanning-tree ˗ сполучне дерево nuances ˗ нюанси
maintain databases ˗ підтримувати бази retain ˗ зберегти
даних
Link State Advertisements (LSAs) ˗ aid ˗ допомога
повідомлення про стан каналу (LSAs)
Dijkstra algorithm ˗ алгоритм Дейкстри in real-world environment ˗ у
реальному середовищі
Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing
Protocol or EIGRP ˗ розширений
внутрішній протокол маршрутизації
шлюзу
a Cisco proprietary protocol ˗ власний
протокол Cisco
to query for a route ˗ запитати маршрут
nearby devices ˗ пристрої поблизу
Reliable Transport Protocol (RTP) ˗
надійний транспортний протокол (RTP)
a Diffusing Update Algorithm (DUAL) ˗
алгоритм розповсюджуваного
оновлення (DUAL)
classful and classless routing protocols ˗
протоколи класової та безкласової
маршрутизації

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1. Why does an administrator have to know routing? 2. What do routing

protocols determine? 3. How many different types of routing protocols are there?
Name some. 4. How can routing protocols be classified? 5. What are distance vector
routing protocols? What do these protocols measure? 6. What do distance vector
protocols send to neighboring devices? 7. What are some disadvantages of distance
vector protocols? 8. What protocols take a different approach to finding the best
routing path? 9. How is route calculated in this case? 10. What is one of the key
differences between a distance vector protocol and a link state routing protocol? 11.
What three types of tables do routers create using the link state protocol? What
information do these tables provide? 12. How can routing protocols also be
categorized? 13. What are IPGs? 14. What is AS and how is it defined? 15. How are
EPGs different from IPGs? 16. What can you say about RIP? How does it work? 17.
Is OSPF protocol a link-state IGP? What networks was it made for? 18. What is SPF
used for? 19. What do SPF routers maintain? 20. What are LSAs? 21. What does
OSPF also use? 22. Is OSPF a secure protocol? 23. What is EIGRP? 24. EIGRP is a
Cisco proprietary protocol, isn’t it? 25. What does a router do using EIGRP? 26.
What is it equipped with? 27. Why are packet transmissions are made more effective
in this case? 28. What is the distinction between classful and classless protocols? 29.
What can you say about classful routing protocols? 30. Why have classful routing
protocol become outdated? 31. Name some classless routing protocols. How are they
different from classful ones? 32. How can learning everything you can about these
protocols aid you in your everyday activities?

Exercise 2. Match the beginning and the end of the sentence

1. One of the main advantages of a) that a network link will fail based on
dynamic routing protocols error counts and previous failures.
2. OSPF, EIGRP, and RIP b) based on which takes the least time.

3. No matter what type of routing c) are considered to be dynamic routing

protocol is being used, protocols.

4. A routing protocol can identify d) there will be clear metrics that are
used to measure which route is the best
to take.

5. Metrics allow the protocol to e) is that they reduce the need to manage
determine configurations.

6. The simplest metric to consider f) based on which has the highest

bandwidth.

7. The RIP protocol uses hop count to g) is hop count.

measure
8. The more hops that a packet has to h) which routing path should be chosen
travel through, to provide the network with the best
 service.

9. Hop count metrics measures the i) multiple paths to a destination

number of routers network but needs to have the ability to
work out which is the most efficient.

10. Bandwidth metrics chooses the j) the distance it takes for a data packet
routing path to reach its destination.

11. Delay metrics chooses the routing k) that a packet must travel through.
path
12. Reliability metrics assesses the l) the farther the packet has to travel.
likelihood

Exercise 3. Fill in the gaps in the sentences. Use the words from the box
an intradomain protocol, transient, maintain, point-to-point link, was developed,
router, internet redundancy, a single autonomous system, is based on,
is primarily used

1. Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is a link-state routing protocol that……….for

IP networks and …….. the Shortest Path First (SPF) algorithm. OSPF is an
Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP).
2. In an OSPF network, routers or systems within the same area …….. an
identical link-state database that describes the topology of the area. 
3. OSPF ……… for the LAN and data center but can also occasionally work in
WAN and IaaS environments.
4. BGP is most often used for ……... 
5. The OSPF stands for Open Shortest Path First. It is a widely used and
supported routing protocol. It is ……, which means that it is used within an
area or a network. It is an interior gateway protocol that has been designed
within ……..
6. The router ID is a number that uniquely identifies each ….. on a network.
7. The ……. directly connects the two routers without any host or router in
between.
8. When several routers are attached in a network, they are known as a …… link.
SPEAKING

 How do Bellman-Ford Algorithm and Dijkstras algorithm work differently

in routing protocols?
 What is the difference between forwarding and routing?
 Why BGP is preferred over OSPF?
 Choose any of the above mentioned protocols and describe how it works.

FACTOID

Types of Routing Protocol

Routing Protocols Timeline

 1982 – EGP
 1985 – IGRP
 1988 – RIPv1
 1990 – IS-IS
 1991 – OSPFv2
 1992 – EIGRP
 1994 – RIPv2
 1995 – BGP
 1997 – RIPng
 1999 – BGPv6 and OSPFv3
 2000 – IS-ISv6