Topic 1: Single-Area OSPFv2

Concepts

Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation v7.0

(ENSA)
Objectives
 Explain how single-area OSPF operates in both point-to-point and broadcast
multiaccess networks.

Topic Title Topic Objective

OSPF Features and
Describe basic OSPF features and characteristics.
Characteristics
Describe the OSPF packet types used in single-
OSPF Packets
area OSPF.
OSPF Operation Explain how single-area OSPF operates.
OSPF Features and Characteristics
Introduction to OSPF
 OSPF is a link-state routing protocol that was developed as an alternative for
the distance vector Routing Information Protocol (RIP).
 OSPF offers faster convergence and scales to much larger networks
implementations.
 OSPF uses the concept of areas. A network administrator can divide the routing
domain into distinct areas that help control routing update traffic.
 A link is an interface on a router, a network segment that connects two routers,
or a stub network such as an Ethernet LAN that is connected to a single router.
 Information about the state of a link is known as a link-state. All link-state
information includes the network prefix, prefix length, and cost.
OSPF Features and Characteristics
Components of OSPF
 All routing protocols use messages to exchange route information.
 Routers exchange messages using five types of packets:
1. Hello packet
2. Database description packet
3. Link-state request packet
4. Link-state update packet
5. Link-state acknowledgment packet
 These packets are used to:
• Discover neighboring routers
• Exchange routing information in order to maintain accurate information about the network
topology.
OSPF Features and Characteristics
Components of OSPF (Cont.)
 OSPF messages are used to create and maintain three OSPF databases, as
follows:
Database Table Description
• List of all neighbor routers to which a router has established bi-
Adjacency Neighbor directional communication.
Database Table • This table is unique for each router.
• Can be viewed using the show ip ospf neighbor command.
Link-state • Lists information about all other routers in the network.
Topology
Database • All routers within an area have identical LSDB.
Table
(LSDB) • Can be viewed using the show ip ospf database command.
• List of routes generated when an algorithm is run on the link-state
database.
Forwarding Routing
• Each router's routing table is unique and contains information on how to
Database Table
send packets to other routers.
• Can be viewed using the show ip route command.
 OSPF Features and Characteristics
Components of OSPF (Cont.)
 The router builds the topology table based on the Dijkstra shortest-path first
(SPF) algorithm, which is based on the cumulative cost to reach a destination.
 The SPF algorithm creates an SPF tree by placing each router at the root of the
tree and calculating the shortest path to each node.
 The SPF tree is then used to calculate the best routes.
 OSPF places the best routes into the forwarding database, which is used to make
the routing table.
Link-state Database Best Forwarding Routing
(LSDB) SPF SPF Tree
Routes database Table
OSPF Features and Characteristics
Link-State Operation
 To maintain routing information, OSPF routers complete a generic link-state
routing process to reach a state of convergence.
 The following are the link-state routing steps that are completed by a router:
1. Establish Neighbor Adjacencies
2. Exchange Link-State Advertisements
3. Build the Link State Database
4. Execute the SPF Algorithm
5. Choose the Best Route
OSPF Features and Characteristics
Single-Area and Multiarea OSPF
 To make OSPF more efficient and scalable, OSPF supports hierarchical routing
using OSPF areas. An OSPF area is a group of routers that share the same link-
state information in their LSDBs.
 OSPF can be implemented as:
• Single-Area OSPF - All routers are in one area. Best practice is to use area 0.
• Multiarea OSPF - OSPF is implemented using multiple areas, in a hierarchical
fashion. All areas must connect to the backbone area (area 0). Routers
interconnecting the areas are referred to as Area Border Routers (ABRs).
 The focus of this module is on single-area OSPFv2.
OSPF Features and Characteristics
Multiarea OSPF
 The hierarchical-topology with multiarea OSPF offer the following advantages:
• Smaller routing tables - There are fewer routing table entries because network addresses
can be summarized between areas.
• Reduced link-state update overhead - Minimizes processing and memory requirements.
• Reduced frequency of SPF calculations -–The impact of a topology change is localized
within an area.
OSPF Features and Characteristics
OSPFv3
 Has the same functionality as OSPFv2, but uses IPv6 addressing.
 Uses the SPF algorithm to determine the best paths.
 Has separate processes from its IPv4 counterpart. The processes are the same
as in the IPv4 routing protocol but run independently.

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OSPF Packets
Types of OSPF Packets
The five types of Link State Packets (LSPs) used by OSPFv2.

Type Packet Name Description

Discovers neighbors and builds adjacencies between

1 Hello
them

2 Database Description (DBD) Checks for database synchronization between routers

3 Link-State Request (LSR) Requests specific link-state records from router to router

4 Link-State Update (LSU) Sends specifically requested link-state records

Link-State Acknowledgment
5 Acknowledges the other packet types
(LSAck)

Video - OSPF Packets 1

OSPF Packets
Hello Packet
 Is the OSPF Type 1 packet.
 Discover OSPF neighbors and establish neighbor adjacencies.
 Advertise parameters on which two routers must agree to become
neighbors.
 Elect the Designated Router (DR) and Backup Designated Router
(BDR) on multiaccess networks like Ethernet. Point-to-point links do
not require DR or BDR.

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OSPF Operation
Establish Neighbor Adjacencies
 To determine if there is an OSPF neighbor on the link, the router sends a Hello
packet that contains its router ID out all OSPF-enabled interfaces.
 The OSPF router ID is:
• used to uniquely identify each router in the OSPF area
• a 32-bit number formatted like an IPv4 address
 When a neighboring OSPF-enabled router receives a Hello packet with a router
ID that is not within its neighbor list, the receiving router attempts to establish
an adjacency with the initiating router.
 In the DR and BDR election process, the router with the highest priority or
highest router ID is elected as the DR, and second highest is the BDR.

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OSPF Operation
Synchronizing OSPF Databases
 This is a three step process, as follows:
1. Decide first router: The router with the highest router ID sends its DBD first.
2. Exchange DBDs: As many as needed to convey the database. The other router
must acknowledge each DBD with an LSAck packet.
3. Send an LSR: Each router compares the DBD information with the local LSDB. If
the DBD has more current link information, the router transitions to the loading
state.

 After all LSRs have been exchanged and satisfied, the routers are considered
synchronized and in a full state. Updates (LSUs) are sent:
• When a change is perceived (incremental updates)
• Every 30 minutes

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OSPF Operation
The Need for a DR
 Multiaccess networks can create
two challenges for OSPF regarding
the flooding of LSAs, as follows:
• Creation of multiple adjacencies -
Ethernet networks could potentially
interconnect many OSPF routers over a
common link. Creating adjacencies with
every router would lead to an excessive
number of LSAs exchanged between
routers on the same network.
• Extensive flooding of LSAs - Link-
state routers flood their LSAs any time
OSPF is initialized, or when there is a
change in the topology. This flooding
can become excessive.

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OSPF Operation
LSA Flooding with a DR
 An increase in the number of routers on a multiaccess network also increases
the number of LSAs exchanged between the routers. This flooding of LSAs
significantly impacts the operation of OSPF.
 On multiaccess networks, OSPF elects a DR to be the collection and
distribution point for LSAs sent and received.
 A BDR is also elected in case the DR fails.
 All other routers become DROTHERs. A DROTHER is a router that is neither the
DR nor the BDR.
• Note: The DR is only used for the dissemination of LSAs. The router will still use the
best next-hop router indicated in the routing table for the forwarding of all other
packets.