IP Routing: OSPF Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS Release 12.4T
OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers
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OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers

Last Updated: October 27, 2011

This module describes the OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers feature, which allows you to configure the rate at which OSPF LSA flood pacing, retransmission pacing, and group pacing updates occur.

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest feature information and caveats, see the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the Feature Information Table at the end of this document.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Restrictions on OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers

Do not change the packet pacing timers unless all other options to meet OSPF packet flooding requirements have been exhausted. Specifically, network operators should prefer summarization, stub area usage, queue tuning, and buffer tuning before changing the default timers. Furthermore, there are no guidelines for changing timer values; each OSPF deployment is unique and should be considered on a case-by-case basis. The network operator assumes risks associated with changing the default timer values.

Information About OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers

Functionality of the OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Timers

In rare situations, you might need to change Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) packet-pacing default timers to mitigate CPU or buffer utilization issues associated with flooding very large numbers of link-state advertisements (LSAs). The OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers feature allows you to configure the rate at which OSPF LSA flood pacing, retransmission pacing, and group pacing updates occur.

Configuring OSPF flood pacing timers allows you to control interpacket spacing between consecutive link-state update packets in the OSPF transmission queue. Configuring OSPF retransmission pacing timers allows you to control interpacket spacing between consecutive link-state update packets in the OSPF retransmission queue. Cisco IOS software groups the periodic refresh of LSAs to improve the LSA packing density for the refreshes in large topologies. The group timer controls the interval used for group LSA refreshment; however, this timer does not change the frequency that individual LSAs are refreshed (the default refresh occurs every 30 minutes).


Note
The default settings for OSPF packet pacing timers are suitable for the majority of OSPF deployments. You should change the default timers only as a last resort.

Benefits of OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers

The OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers feature provides the administrator with a mechanism to control the rate at which LSA updates occur in order to reduce high CPU or buffer utilization that can occur when an area is flooded with a very large number of LSAs.

Related Features and Technologies

The OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers feature is an extension of the OSPF routing protocol. For more information about configuring OSPF, packet pacing, area border router (ABR) and autonomous system boundary router (ASBR) summarization, and stub router configuration, refer to the "Configuring OSPF" module of the Cisco IOS IP Routing Configuration Guide and the Cisco IOS IP Routing: OSPF Command Reference.

Supported Platforms

The OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers feature is supported by the following platforms in Cisco IOS Release 12.2(14)S that support OSPF:

  • Cisco 7200 series
  • Cisco 7400 series
  • Cisco 7500 series

Determining Platform Support Through Cisco Feature Navigator

Cisco IOS software is packaged in feature sets that support specific platforms. To get updated information regarding platform support for this feature, access Cisco Feature Navigator. Cisco Feature Navigator dynamically updates the list of supported platforms as new platform support is added for the feature.

Cisco Feature Navigator is a web-based tool that enables you to determine which Cisco IOS software images support a specific set of features and which features are supported in a specific Cisco IOS image. You can search by feature or release. Under the release section, you can compare releases side by side to display both the features unique to each software release and the features in common.

Cisco Feature Navigator is updated regularly when major Cisco IOS software releases and technology releases occur. For the most current information, go to the Cisco Feature Navigator home page at the following URL:

http://www.cisco.com/go/fn

Availability of Cisco IOS Software Images

Platform support for particular Cisco IOS software releases is dependent on the availability of the software images for those platforms. Software images for some platforms may be deferred, delayed, or changed without prior notice. For updated information about platform support and availability of software images for each Cisco IOS software release, refer to the online release notes or, if supported, Cisco Feature Navigator.

How to Configure OSPF Packet-Pacing Timers

See the following sections for configuration tasks for the OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers feature. Each task in the list is identified as either required or optional:

Configuring OSPF Packet-Pacing Timers

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    Router(config)# router ospf process-id

2.    Router(config-router)# timers pacing flood milliseconds


DETAILED STEPS
 Command or ActionPurpose
Step 1
Router(config)# router ospf process-id 

Places the router in router configuration mode and enables an OSPF routing process.

 
Step 2
Router(config-router)# timers pacing flood milliseconds 

Configures a flood packet pacing timer delay (in milliseconds).

 

Configuring a Group Packet Pacing Timer

To configure a retransmission packet pacing timer, use the following commands beginning in router configuration mode:

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    Router(config)# router ospf process-id

2.    Router(config-router)# timers pacing lsa-group seconds


DETAILED STEPS
 Command or ActionPurpose
Step 1
Router(config)# router ospf process-id 

Places the router in router configuration mode and enables an OSPF routing process.

 
Step 2
Router(config-router)# timers pacing lsa-group seconds 

Configures an LSA group packet pacing timer delay (in seconds).

 

Configuring a Group Packet Pacing Timer

To configure a retransmission packet pacing timer, use the following commands beginning in router configuration mode:

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    Router(config)# router ospf process-id

2.    Router(config-router)# timers pacing lsa-group seconds


DETAILED STEPS
 Command or ActionPurpose
Step 1
Router(config)# router ospf process-id 

Places the router in router configuration mode and enables an OSPF routing process.

 
Step 2
Router(config-router)# timers pacing lsa-group seconds 

Configures an LSA group packet pacing timer delay (in seconds).

 

Verifying OSPF Packet-Pacing Timers

To verify that OSPF packet pacing has been configured, use the show ip ospfprivileged EXEC command. The output of the show ip ospfcommand will display the type and delay time of the configurable pacing timers (flood, retransmission, group). The following example output is from the show ip ospfcommand:

Router# show ip ospf 
  Routing Process "ospf 1" with ID 10.0.0.1 and Domain ID 10.20.0.1 
  Supports only single TOS(TOS0) routes 
  Supports opaque LSA 
  SPF schedule delay 5 secs, Hold time between two SPFs 10 secs 
  Minimum LSA interval 5 secs. Minimum LSA arrival 1 secs 
  LSA group pacing timer 100 secs 
  Interface flood pacing timer 55 msecs 
  Retransmission pacing timer 100 msecs 
  Number of external LSA 0. Checksum Sum 0x0      
  Number of opaque AS LSA 0. Checksum Sum 0x0      
  Number of DCbitless external and opaque AS LSA 0 
  Number of DoNotAge external and opaque AS LSA 0 
  Number of areas in this router is 2. 2 normal 0 stub 0 nssa 
  External flood list length 0 
     Area BACKBONE(0) 
         Number of interfaces in this area is 2 
         Area has message digest authentication 
         SPF algorithm executed 4 times 
         Area ranges are 
         Number of LSA 4. Checksum Sum 0x29BEB  
         Number of opaque link LSA 0. Checksum Sum 0x0      
         Number of DCbitless LSA 3 
         Number of indication LSA 0 
         Number of DoNotAge LSA 0 
         Flood list length 0 
     Area 172.16.26.0 
         Number of interfaces in this area is 0 
         Area has no authentication 
         SPF algorithm executed 1 times 
         Area ranges are 
            192.168.0.0/16 Passive Advertise  
         Number of LSA 1. Checksum Sum 0x44FD   
         Number of opaque link LSA 0. Checksum Sum 0x0      
         Number of DCbitless LSA 1 
         Number of indication LSA 1 
         Number of DoNotAge LSA 0 
         Flood list length 0

Troubleshooting Tips

If the number of OSPF packet retransmissions rapidly increases, increase the value of the packet pacing timers. The number of OSPF packet retransmissions is displayed in the output of the show ip ospf neighbor command.

Monitoring and Maintaining OSPF Packet-Pacing Timers

Command

Purpose

 
Router# show ip ospf

Displays general information about OSPF routing processes.

 
router# show ip ospf neighbor

Displays OSPF neighbor information on a per-interface basis.

 
Router# clear ip ospf redistribution

Clears route redistribution based on the OSPF routing process ID.

Configuration Examples of OSPF Update Packet-Pacing

Example Flood Pacing

The following example configures LSA flood pacing updates to occur in 50-millisecond intervals for OSPF routing process 1:

Router(config)# router ospf 1
Router(config-router)# timers pacing flood 50

Example Retransmission Pacing

The following example configures retransmission pacing updates to occur in 100-millisecond intervals for OSPF routing process 1:

Router(config)# router ospf 1
Router(config-router)# timers pacing retransmission 100

Example Group Pacing

The following example configures OSPF group pacing updates between LSA groups to occur in 75-second intervals for OSPF routing process 1:

Router(config)# router ospf 1
Router(config-router)# timers pacing lsa-group 75

Additional References

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

Configuring OSPF

Configuring OSPF"

OSPF commands

Cisco IOS IP Routing: OSPF Command Reference

Cisco IOS master command list, all releases

Cisco IOS Master Command List, All Releases

Standards

Standard

Title

No new or modified standards are supported by this feature, and support for existing standards has not been modified by this feature.

--

MIBs

MIB

MIBs Link

No new or modified MIBs are supported by this feature, and support for existing MIBs has not been modified by this feature.

To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco IOS XE software releases , and feature sets, use Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL:

http://www.cisco.com/go/mibs

RFCs

RFC

Title

No new or modified RFCs are supported by this feature, and support for existing RFCs has not been modified by this feature.

--

Technical Assistance

Description

Link

The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides online resources to download documentation, software, and tools. Use these resources to install and configure the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html

Feature Information for OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Table 1Feature Information for OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers

12.2(4)T 12.2(4)T3 12.2(8)T 12.2(8)T1 12.2(14)S Cisco IOS XE 3.1.0 SG

The OSPF Update Packet-Pacing Configurable Timers feature allows you to configure the rate at which OSPF LSA flood pacing, retransmission pacing, and group pacing updates occur.

The following commands are introduced or modified in the feature documented in this module:

  • timers pacing flood
  • timers pacing lsa-group
  • timers pacing retransmission
  • show ip ospf

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R)

Any Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and phone numbers used in this document are not intended to be actual addresses and phone numbers. Any examples, command display output, network topology diagrams, and other figures included in the document are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any use of actual IP addresses or phone numbers in illustrative content is unintentional and coincidental.

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