[Term of the Day]: Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

Term of the Day

"Routing Information Protocol"

Definition — What is Routing Information Protocol (RIP)?

The Routing Information Protocol, or RIP, is a distance vector protocol that uses hop count as its primary metric. RIP is used by routers that dictates how data should be shared between a group of individual networks, otherwise known as the Local Area Networks.

Its primary functions are to,

1) determine the most efficient path when sending data along the network and 2) prevent routing loops.

In order to do this, RIP maintains a routing table, which lists all the routers reachable within a network. Each router uses this table to determine the most efficient way to route data.

Advantages of RIP:

1. Conserved bandwidth as updates of the network are exchanged periodically.

2. Updates (routing information) are always broadcasted.

3. Minimized routing table and then faster lookup as full routing tables are sent in updates.

4. Routers always trust on routing information received from neighbor routers. This is also known as Routing on rumors.

5. Simple to configure and implement.

Check this article to learn more about Routing Information Protocol.