OSPF path selection issue

andrew_ho · ‎04-18-2007

Hi,

My question is if an OSPF router learns a network from two different paths. One with a higher cost but it is a intra-area route. The other one with a lower cost but it is a inter-area route. It turns out the route choose the first one with a higher cost. Is this how it supposed to be? or it should always choose the one with a lower cost regardless of the route type?

Thanks,

Andrew

Jon Marshall · ‎04-18-2007

Hi Andrew

Once OSPF has selected the longest match to the specific destination address which in your case you end up with 2 matches, the Intra area route and the Inter area route, it then uses the path type in the route selection process. In order of preference

1) Intra-area

2) Inter-area

3) E1 external

4) E2 external

So yes OSPF will choose the Intra-area route over the Inter-area route.

HTH

Jon

ariela · ‎04-18-2007

Hi Andrew,

Intra-area OSPF routes are preferred over inter-area routes regardless of the cost.

HTH

Andrea

mounir.mohamed · ‎04-19-2007

Dear Andrew,

The OSPF routing process shall compare between any equal costs routes with the same area type, so if you have one Intra-area route to specific destination and another Inter-area route to the same destination, Regardless the cost the router will select the Intrea-area route over the inter one, because it's logic to keep the traffic within the area instead of send it out the area,

Also the below list shown the OSPF routes checklist:

1) Intra-area (To keep the traffic internal)

2) Inter-area (Prefered over External)

3) E1 external (Over E2 because the cost to the ASBR counted)

4) E2 external

Please rate helpful posts.

Best Regards,

Mounir Mohamed