The use of RIPng (was: Re: So why is "IPv4 with longer addresses" a problem anyway?)

[Benedikt Stockebrand]

Hi Mark and list,

Mark Tinka <mtinka at globaltransit.net> writes:

> I probably wouldn't go around saying RIP is better to deploy 
> than a link-state routing protocol (despite the "balance 
> between easy-to-handle simplicity and ultimate performance 
> complexity" quote),

Depends.  

As far as deployment goes: If you use e.g. a BSD or Solaris you get a
lightweight RIP daemon as part of the base system, so with these
systems deployment is actually a bit easier---you just turn it on.  On
other systems the only difference may be that people tend to copy
configurations without changing the router ID.

>From a security/reliability point of view, both shouldn't be used in
networks where untrustworthy nodes are connected, so they don't differ
much in that respect---whenever you want to use dynamic routing, you
better get your network topology sorted out beforehand.

Beyond that it's where the difference comes into play: It's not so
much the deployment but troubleshooting.  From experience I know that
I can train anybody with basic knowledge of IP within about two hours
(including hands-on training) how RIP{v2,ng} works, what the packets
they see in a packet sniffer mean and how to analyze and fix problems.
With OSPFv{2,3} you can barely explain how it works during that time.
To make people really comfortable with OSPF it takes a few days
training, on-the-job time to gather experience, and periodic training.

If people only touch dynamic routing protocols maybe once or twice a
year, RIP gives them much more of a chance than OSPF when things go
wrong.

So beyond "normal" data center or medium-to-large enterprise networks,
but in environments without specialized network admins, small enough
network diameter and modest failover time requirements, RIP does have
its niche.

(And yes, I've seen people overextending themselves with OSPF...)

> but I gather that isn't the gist of this thread.

See Subject header:-)


Cheers,

    Benedikt

-- 
			 Business Grade IPv6
		    Consulting, Training, Projects

Benedikt Stockebrand, Dipl.-Inform.   http://www.benedikt-stockebrand.de/