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Example: Controlling the Cost of Individual OSPF Network Segments

This example shows how to control the cost of individual OSPF network segments.

Requirements

Before you begin:

Overview

All OSPF interfaces have a cost, which is a routing metric that is used in the link-state calculation. Routes with lower total path metrics are preferred to those with higher path metrics. In this example, we explore how to control the cost of OSPF network segments.

By default, OSPF assigns a default cost metric of 1 to any link faster than 100 Mbps, and a default cost metric of 0 to the loopback interface (lo0). No bandwidth is associated with the loopback interface. This means that all interfaces faster than 100 Mbps have the same default cost metric of 1. If multiple equal-cost paths exist between a source and destination address, OSPF routes packets along each path alternately, in round-robin fashion.

Having the same default metric might not be a problem if all of the interfaces are running at the same speed. If the interfaces operate at different speeds, you might notice that traffic is not routed over the fastest interface because OSPF equally routes packets across the different interfaces. For example, if your routing device has Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces running OSPF, each of these interfaces have a default cost metric of 1.

In the first example, you set the reference bandwidth to 10g (10 Gbps, as denoted by 10,000,000,000 bits) by including the reference-bandwidth statement. With this configuration, OSPF assigns the Fast Ethernet interface a default metric of 100, and the Gigabit Ethernet interface a metric of 10. Since the Gigabit Ethernet interface has the lowest metric, OSPF selects it when routing packets. The range is 9600 through 1,000,000,000,000 bits.

Figure 1 shows three routing devices in area 0.0.0.0 and assumes that the link between Device R2 and Device R3 is congested with other traffic. You can also control the flow of packets across the network by manually assigning a metric to a particular path segment. Any value you configure for the metric overrides the default behavior of using the reference-bandwidth value to calculate the route cost for that interface. To prevent the traffic from Device R3 going directly to Device R2, you adjust the metric on the interface on Device R3 that connects with Device R1 so that all traffic goes through Device R1.

In the second example, you set the metric to 5 on interface fe-1/0/1 on Device R3 that connects with Device R1 by including the metric statement. The range is 1 through 65,535.

Figure 1: OSPF Metric Configuration

OSPF Metric Configuration

Configuration

Configuring the Reference Bandwidth

CLI Quick Configuration

To quickly configure the reference bandwidth, copy the following command and paste it into the CLI.

[edit]set protocols ospf reference-bandwidth 10g

Step-by-Step Procedure

To configure the reference bandwidth:

  1. Configure the reference bandwidth to calculate the default interface cost.

    Note: To specify OSPFv3, include the ospf3 statement at the [edit protocols] hierarchy level.

    [edit]user@host# set protocols ospf reference-bandwidth 10g

    Tip: As a shortcut in this example, you enter 10g to specify 10 Gbps reference bandwidth. Whether you enter 10g or 10000000000, the output of show protocols ospf command displays 10 Gbps as 10g, not 10000000000.

  2. If you are done configuring the device, commit the configuration.
    [edit]user@host# commit

    Note: Repeat this entire configuration on all routing devices in a shared network.

Results

Confirm your configuration by entering the show protocols ospf command. If the output does not display the intended configuration, repeat the instructions in this example to correct the configuration.

user@host# show protocols ospf
reference-bandwidth 10g;

To confirm your OSPFv3 configuration, enter the show protocols ospf3 command.

Configuring a Metric for a Specific OSPF Interface

CLI Quick Configuration

To quickly configure a metric for a specific OSPF interface, copy the following command and paste it into the CLI.

[edit]set protocols ospf area 0.0.0.0 interface fe-1/0/1 metric 5

Step-by-Step Procedure

To configure the metric for a specific OSPF interface:

  1. Create an OSPF area.

    Note: To specify OSPFv3, include the ospf3 statement at the [edit protocols] hierarchy level.

    [edit]user@host# edit protocols ospf area 0.0.0.0
  2. Configure the metric of the OSPF network segment.
    [edit protocols ospf area 0.0.0.0 ]user@host# set interface fe-1/0/1 metric 5
  3. If you are done configuring the device, commit the configuration.
    [edit protocols ospf area 0.0.0.0 ]user@host# commit

Results

Confirm your configuration by entering the show protocols ospf command. If the output does not display the intended configuration, repeat the instructions in this example to correct the configuration.

user@host# show protocols ospf
area 0.0.0.0 { interface fe-1/0/1.0 {metric 5;}}

To confirm your OSPFv3 configuration, enter the show protocols ospf3 command.

Verification

Confirm that the configuration is working properly.

Verifying the Configured Metric

Purpose

Verify the metric setting on the interface. Confirm that the Cost field displays the interface’s configured metric (cost). When choosing paths to a destination, OSPF uses the path with the lowest cost.

Action

From operational mode, enter the show ospf interface detail command for OSPFv2, and enter the show ospf3 interface detail command for OSPFv3.

Verifying the Route

Purpose

When choosing paths to a destination, OSPF uses the path with the lowest total cost. Confirm that OSPF is using the appropriate path.

Action

From operational mode, enter the show route command.

Published: 2014-05-15