A router has learned the exact same 172.16.10.0/24 route from a static configuration, from OSPF, and from RIP. All three advertisements have the identical prefix length and point to valid next hops. To decide which single route to install in its routing table, which attribute will the router compare?
When multiple routing sources advertise an identical destination prefix, the router chooses the route with the lowest administrative distance because that value represents how trustworthy the source is. Static routes have an AD of 1 by default, OSPF 110, and RIP 120, so in this scenario the static route would be selected. Metrics are considered only after administrative distance when two routes come from the same protocol, and bandwidth or protocol type do not override administrative distance when prefixes and masks match.
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What does administrative distance mean in routing protocols?
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How does prefix length affect route selection?
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What are metrics in routing protocols and how do they work?