OSPF

An interior gateway routing protocol for TCP/IP networks, Open Shortest Path First uses a link state routing algorithm that calculates routes for packets based on a number of factors, including least hops, speed of transmission lines, and congestion delays. You can also configure certain cost metrics for the algorithm. This protocol is more efficient and scalable than vector-distance routing protocols. OSPF features include least-cost routing, ECMP (Equal Cost Multi Paths) routing, and load balancing. Although OSPF requires CPU power and memory space, it results in smaller, less frequent router table updates throughout the network. This protocol is more efficient and scalable than vector-distance routing protocols.