OSPF Incremental SPF

The Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol can be configured to use an incremental SPF algorithm for calculating the shortest path first routes. Incremental SPF is more efficient than the full SPF algorithm, thereby allowing OSPF to converge faster on a new routing topology in reaction to a network event.

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 for OSPF Incremental SPF.

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

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest caveats and feature information, see Bug Search Tool and 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.

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.

Prerequisites for OSPF Incremental SPF

It is presumed that you have OSPF configured in your network.

Information About OSPF Incremental SPF

OSPF uses Dijkstra’s SPF algorithm to compute the shortest path tree (SPT). During the computation of the SPT, the shortest path to each node is discovered. The topology tree is used to populate the routing table with routes to IP networks. When changes to a Type-1 or Type-2 link-state advertisement (LSA) occur in an area, the entire SPT is recomputed. In many cases, the entire SPT need not be recomputed because most of the tree remains unchanged. Incremental SPF allows the system to recompute only the affected part of the tree. Recomputing only a portion of the tree rather than the entire tree results in faster OSPF convergence and saves CPU resources. Note that if the change to a Type-1 or Type-2 LSA occurs in the calculating router itself, then the full SPT is performed.

Incremental SPF is scheduled in the same way as the full SPF. Routers enabled with incremental SPF and routers not enabled with incremental SPF can function in the same internetwork.

How to Enable OSPF Incremental SPF

Enabling Incremental SPF

This section describes how to enable incremental SPF.

SUMMARY STEPS

    1.    enable

    2.    configure terminal

    3.    router ospf process-id

    4.    ispf

    5.    end


DETAILED STEPS
     Command or ActionPurpose
    Step 1 enable


    Example:
    Router> enable
     

    Enables privileged EXEC mode.

    • Enter your password if prompted.

     
    Step 2 configure terminal


    Example:
    Router# configure terminal
     

    Enters global configuration mode.

     
    Step 3 router ospf process-id


    Example:
    Router(config)# router ospf 1
     

    Configures an OSPF routing process.

     
    Step 4 ispf


    Example:
    Router(config-router)# ispf
     

    Enables incremental SPF.

     
    Step 5 end


    Example:
    Router(config-router)# end
     

    Exits router configuration mode.

     

    Configuration Examples for OSPF Incremental SPF

    Example Incremental SPF

    This example enables incremental SPF:

    router ospf 1
     ispf

    Additional References

    Related Documents

    Related Topic

    Document Title

    OSPF commands

    Cisco IOS IP Routing: OSPF Command Reference

    Standards

    Standards

    Title

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

    --

    MIBs

    MIBs

    MIBs Link

    None

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

    http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​go/​mibs

    RFCs

    RFCs

    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 Incremental SPF

    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 . An account on Cisco.com is not required.
    Table 1 Feature Information for OSPF Incremental SPF

    Feature Name

    Releases

    Feature Information

    OSPF Incremental SPF

    12.0(24)S 12.3(2)T 12.2(18)S 12.2(27)SBC 12.2(33)SRA 12.2(33)XNE Cisco IOS XE 3.1.0 SG

    OSPF can be configured to use an incremental SPF algorithm for calculating the shortest path first routes. Incremental SPF is slightly more efficient than the full SPF algorithm, thereby allowing OSPF to converge faster on a new routing topology in reaction to a network event

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

    • ispf