Understanding IS-IS Designated Routers

A router advertises its priority to become a designated router in its hello packets. On all multiaccess networks (physical networks that support the attachment of more than two routers, such as Ethernet networks), IS-IS uses the advertised priorities to elect a designated router for the network. This router is responsible for sending network link-state advertisements, which describe all the routers attached to the network. These advertisements are flooded throughout a single area. The priority value is meaningful only on a multiaccess network. It has no meaning on a point-to-point interface.

A router’s priority for becoming the designated router is indicated by an arbitrary number from 0 through 127, which you configure on the IS-IS interface. The router with the highest priority becomes the designated router for the area (Level 1, Level 2, or both), also configured on the IS-IS interface. If routers in the network have the same priority, then the router with the highest MAC address is elected as the designated router. By default, routers have a priority value of 64.