OSPF vs EIGRP w/MPLS

[GREGORY JACKSON]

Is there any advantage to using OSPF or EIGRP for your internal routing protocol when using MPLS?

[sachinraja]

hey

it actually depends on what routes you want on each of the spoke routers... normally when we have MPLS circuits from the service provider, we have a default route or a static route pointing to the ISP backbone and the ISP will do the label switching to put the packets to the destination.. Now, if you want all the specific routes at all your destination to be available on your routers, you need to run a dynamic protocol with MPLS, which needs the ISP's full co-ordination, as they will redistribute the same routes on the VRF routing table instance... this can be sometimes tricky !!! so, i would always advice you to have a simple static/default route towards the ISP in MPLS VPN, though OSPF or EIGRP can give more control of routing information through the ISP..

it also depends if your network is a point to multipoint network or multipoint-multipoint newtork... if all the branches need to communicate with the HO, and also to other branches, then running a routing protocol makes sense.. otherwise keep it straight and simple...

Hope this helps.. all the best.. rate replies if found useful..

Raj

[mheusinger]

Hi,

If you implement an MPLS backbone both, EIGRP and OSPF will give you nearly the same functionality with one exception.

MPLS traffic engineering does require a link state protocol. So in this case only OSPF or ISIS will be suitable. Even if you do not plan to implement MPLS TE at the moment I would choose OSPF (or ISIS) over EIGRP, because in the future you might require MPLS TE or fast reroute (FRR).

In addition there are some nice features like OSPF and LDP autosynchronization.

So my choice would be clearly OSPF instead of EIGRP.

Hope this helps! PLease use the rating system.

Regards, Martin

[pdomingu]

I rabalam: I think that the answer depends of your network size, and your needs, because I think EIGRP is well for mpls as OSPF, maybe if you post more detailed info, maybe I can help you

Regards

Pablo Dominguez

[albert.remo]

Hi!

Just an additional note. Both routing protocol would be beneficial but if you plan to interoperate your existing network to non-cisco products, you should use OSPF which is a standard rather than EIGRP which is a cisco proprietary.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Albert