Its not MPLS, just metro WAN links. What's the need to run multilple OSPF areas?

Regards,

Hi,

Using areas has many benefits, mainly boosting the convergence time and reducing the routing table size on all the routers, its not a must in your case as you don't have that amount of routers, but it is a best practice, you might think about it.

HTH, please rate all helpful posts,

Mohammed Mahmoud.

Hi,

I would also recommend to use different areas because it not helps in reducing routing table size (i.e. using less CPU Cycles) but also helps from troubleshooting point of view.

I would like to know the router hardware you are using for this design i.e. platform used for Location A, B, C etc.

HTH, please rate if it is helpful.

Rahim Amir Ali

Depending on the size of your network 20+ you can have area 0 (Backbone, and depending on how far you want to summarize and clean up extra processing power, you have ABR (DG) @the core, and links to the areas (connected to area0 or via VL's). These areas can run NSSA pointing to the stub area area0, this also reduces database table size depending on the routers you will implement in this design

Thank You for the valuable inputs.

I am using around 15 routers, Cisco 2600 and 1700 series. If I were to implement 2 areas, I will put all the routers under one ISP in area0 and others in area1. Do I need to configure ABR at 2 locations for backup? like one at locationD and another at locationB?

Thank You

Depending on your situation you can either use a Single Border Router design or a Multiple Border Router design.

What you are talking about is the latter,which alieviates the single point of failure you eluded to,this allows BGP to add redundancy. Remember when designing make sure that the IBGP(Core) is running full mesh.

Also note that the enterprise should originate a default route for each border router which is injected into BGP to be redistributed throughout the network.

Not to sound like broken record but I like this design idea because it does give your organization redundancy.You simply troubleshoot your igp connection at each location(running OSPF).So the network receives prfix updates once recieved on the network.jRemember ibgp must run in a Full mesh remember:BGP avoide routing loops by blocking our of the interface it was learned on. Later Have agreat day

As suggested by Mohammed, it is best to run each location as a separate area especially when you have low end routers like the 1700 .

The ISP routers will be acting as the ASBR's and the 2 routers shown in each location will be ABR's as they will have one interface aligned to one area and the other to the backbone.

This will also provide redundancy

HTH, rate if it does

Narayan