Link-State Routing Algorithms: OSPF vs. EIGRP?

Sounds like homework.  Even if it's not, that is info that is very widely available.

EIGRP is proprietary to Cisco. OSPF is open standard.
Each has advantages and disadvantages and depends on the environment.

EIGRP is a lot easer to implement than OSPF. If you have an all, mostly Cisco environment it is probably the way to go. Now if you have a mixed environment of several different brands of routers OSPF, or BGP make better sense since they are open protocols. Also you can cross over on edge routers to other protocols, that is the way I have it set up on my network, BGP to the net on the my edge router and EIGRP for my own network. One thing, if you do go with EIGRP make sure you disable auto summarization of networks on stub routers, it’s of no use for them and a lot of times they end up advertising an entire network in their routes even if it has been submitted.

I dissagree with DrIP's comment saying that EIGRP is easier than OSPF. Both are very simple to confiure for average sized simple topology networks, and both can be very complicated on intricate and large topologies.

OSPF uses less bandwidth than EIGRP. EIGRP is NOT link state, not even "with link-state features" like Cisco likes to comment. OSPF is standards based, EIGRP is proprietary.

BGP is a different class of protocol altogether, and shouldn't even be considered a viable solution for most internal networks.

Good luck,


A.

apadua ...

Would you classify EIGRP as an "Enhanced Distance-Vector" Routing Protocol?

apadua ...

Would you classify EIGRP as an "Enhanced Distance-Vector" Routing Protocol?

Yeah... that's what Cisco calls it too.

You choose routing protocols depending on the way that your network topology is. If you have a large topology with many branch offices that have smaller offices of their own, then you would probably use OSPF. If you have a topology where you have one corporate office with maybe 25 smaller offices lets say, then you would probably implement EIGRP. BGP is not relevant in either of these situations. This protocol should only be used for internet based traffic.

EIGRP can handle several LAN protocols (IP, IPX, Appletalk... maybe others), OSPF is IP only. EIGRP is expecially well suited for IPX environments.

FWIW

Scott

Thanks for the information.