Routing loopA routing loop is a common problem with various types of networks, particularly computer networks. They are formed when an error occurs in the operation of the routing algorithm, and as a result, in a group of nodes, the path to a particular destination forms a loop. In the simplest version, a routing loop of size two, node A thinks that the path to some destination (call it C) is through its neighbouring node, node B. At the same time, node B thinks that the path to C starts at node A.
Distance-vector routing protocolA distance-vector routing protocol in data networks determines the best route for data packets based on distance. Distance-vector routing protocols measure the distance by the number of routers a packet has to pass; one router counts as one hop. Some distance-vector protocols also take into account network latency and other factors that influence traffic on a given route. To determine the best route across a network, routers using a distance-vector protocol exchange information with one another, usually routing tables plus hop counts for destination networks and possibly other traffic information.
IPv6 addressAn Internet Protocol Version 6 address (IPv6 address) is a numeric label that is used to identify and locate a network interface of a computer or a network node participating in a computer network using IPv6. IP addresses are included in the packet header to indicate the source and the destination of each packet. The IP address of the destination is used to make decisions about routing IP packets to other networks. IPv6 is the successor to the first addressing infrastructure of the Internet, Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4).
Routing Information ProtocolThe Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is one of the oldest distance-vector routing protocols which employs the hop count as a routing metric. RIP prevents routing loops by implementing a limit on the number of hops allowed in a path from source to destination. The largest number of hops allowed for RIP is 15, which limits the size of networks that RIP can support. RIP implements the split horizon, route poisoning, and holddown mechanisms to prevent incorrect routing information from being propagated.
Split horizon route advertisementIn computer networking, split-horizon route advertisement is a method of preventing routing loops in distance-vector routing protocols by prohibiting a router from advertising a route back onto the interface from which it was learned. The concept was suggested in 1974 by Torsten Cegrell, and originally implemented in the ARPANET-inspired Swedish network TIDAS. Here is some basic terminology: Route poisoning: if a node N learns that its route to a destination D is unreachable, inform that to all nodes in the network by sending them a message stating that the distance from N to D, as perceived by N, is infinite.
