What Is IP Routing?

IP Routing is an umbrella term Ior the set oI protocols that determine the path that data Iollows
in order to travel across multiple networks Irom its source to its destination. Data is routed Irom
its source to its destination through a series oI routers, and across multiple networks. The IP
Routing protocols enable routers to build up a Iorwarding table that correlates Iinal destinations
with next hop addresses.
These protocols include:
O P (Border Gateway Protocol)
O IS-IS (Intermediate System - Intermediate System)
O SPF (Open Shortest Path First)
O RIP (Routing InIormation Protocol)
When an IP packet is to be Iorwarded, a router uses its Iorwarding table to determine the next
hop Ior the packet's destination (based on the destination IP address in the IP packet header), and
Iorwards the packet appropriately. The next router then repeats this process using its own
Iorwarding table, and so on until the packet reaches its destination. At each stage, the IP address
in the packet header is suIIicient inIormation to determine the next hop; no additional protocol
headers are required.
The Internet, Ior the purpose oI routing, is divided into Autonomous Systems (ASs). An AS is a
group oI routers that are under the control oI a single administration and exchange routing
inIormation using a common routing protocol. For example, a corporate intranet or an ISP
network can usually be regarded as an individual AS. The Internet can be visualized as a partial
mesh oI ASs. An AS can be classiIied as one oI the Iollowing three types.
O A Stub AS has a single connection to one other AS. Any data sent to, or received Irom, a
destination outside the AS must travel over that connection. A small campus network is
an example oI a stub AS.
O A %ransit AS has multiple connections to one or more ASs, which permits data that is
not destined Ior a node within that AS to travel through it. An ISP network is an example
oI a transit AS.
O A ultihomed AS also has multiple connections to one or more ASs, but it does not
permit data received over one oI these connections to be Iorwarded out oI the AS again.
In other words, it does not provide a transit service to other ASs. A Multihomed AS is
similar to a Stub AS, except that the ingress and egress points Ior data traveling to or
Irom the AS can be chosen Irom one oI a number oI connections, depending on which
connection oIIers the shortest route to the eventual destination. A large enterprise
network would normally be a multihomed AS.
An Interior ateway Protocol (IP) calculates routes within a single AS. The IGP enables
nodes on diIIerent networks within an AS to send data to one another. The IGP also enables data
to be Iorwarded across an AS Irom ingress to egress, when the AS is providing transit services.
Routes are distributed between ASs by an Exterior ateway Protocol (EP). The EGP enables
routers within an AS to choose the best point oI egress Irom the AS Ior the data they are trying to
route.
The EGP and the IGPs running within each AS cooperate to route data across the Internet. The
EGP determines the ASs that data must cross in order to reach its destination, and the IGP
determines the path within each AS that data must Iollow to get Irom the point oI ingress (or the
point oI origin) to the point oI egress (or the Iinal destination).
The diagram below illustrates the diIIerent types oI AS in a network. OSPF, IS-IS and RIP are
IGPs used within the individual ASs; BGP is the EGP used between ASs.