Network and Routing Protocols

What is a Network?

A network involves two or more computers that are linked through telephone lines, cables, satellites, infrared light beams, radio waves, etc. to exchange files, share resources, and allow electronic communications. Two common types of networks are:

1.?Local Area Network: This network is limited to a relatively small area or a geographic area. Computers connected to LAN are termed workstations or servers. It provides the following services: software hosting, printing, file storage, faxing, sharing, messaging, data storage, security control, etc.

2.?Wide Area Network: This network connects large geographic areas throughout the world. Through this network, you can communicate from one part of the world to the other. This is a complicated type of network.

Routing Protocol:

The routing protocol is a process that connects routers with other routers to share information across a network. The best path is selected based on the reachability of information through the routing metric and algorithm. Circuit-switched?and?packet-switching are the types of networks where routing can be performed easily. The routing algorithm is software that helps to determine the finest path for packet transmission.

The function of a router is:

The router is used for coping the traffic between a network by forwarding the packets.

Multiple devices can be connected to the same network with the help of a router to forward a packet between?different networks.

Types of Routing:

1.?Static Routing:

It is the process of physically adding the router to the routing table, the help of a configuration file is taken to perform the process. Simply to term it: with the help of the administrator system changes are done manually.

The pros of static routing protocol are: It is easy to put into operation, a secure way of routing as no information is shared with other routers, and is cheap as it does not require a lot of resources.

The cons are: only suitable for small networks, if the link fails then the rerouting of the traffic is not possible which will stop the whole system. ?

?2.?Dynamic Routing:

This protocol allows the routers to dynamically absorb information about other routers and adjoins the information spontaneously to the router table. Discovering a remote network and maintaining up-to-date routing information is the key function of Dynamic routing. ?It can choose the best path along with finding an alternative if the current path is unavailable.

The pros of Dynamic routing are: Works for all kinds of networks if the link fail rerouting is done automatically, and builds a routing table inevitably.

The cons are: less secure often shares information with other routers, and resource utilization is more which makes it expensive.

?3.?Default Routing:

It is the address of another router. ?The packet is forwarded if the address on the packet matches the path.

The pros of Default Routing are: It can be used when no predefined route is available in the routing table. The cons are: the network is complex and setting it up is difficult.

Hope this article was productive and gave a clear image of the Network and Routing Protocols.

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