OSPF
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Networking
| Stands for | Open Shortest Path First |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
OSPF stands for Open Shortest Path First, a networking abbreviation.
A link-state interior routing protocol in which every router builds a full map of the network and computes the best paths with Dijkstra's shortest-path-first algorithm. Enterprises and ISPs run it inside their own networks, dividing large deployments into areas around a backbone area 0.
Example: Both core routers run OSPF, so traffic fails over within seconds if a link drops.
Usage notes
OSPFv2 for IPv4 is defined in RFC 2328 (1998), and OSPFv3 adds IPv6 support. "Open" signals an open standard, in contrast with Cisco's proprietary IGRP of the same era. Link cost is usually derived from interface bandwidth. Its main rival inside large provider networks is IS-IS.
Related abbreviations
More networking abbreviations
- NFS – Network File System
- NFV – Network functions virtualization
- NOC – Network operations center
- NS – Name server (record)
- NTP – Network Time Protocol
- OSI – Open Systems Interconnection (model)
- P2P – Peer-to-peer
- PAN – Personal area network
- PAT – Port address translation
- PDU – Protocol data unit
- PoE – Power over Ethernet
- PoP – Point of presence