As we all know, both of OSPF and EIGRP are the Dynamic Routing Protocols. OSPF is used widely because of its strong standard protocol and supporting various manufacturers’ devices. EIGRP is made by the leading network hardware manufacturer, Cisco, so that it occupies much of the market.
However, what are their differences between OSPF and EIGRP? Let’s read their 10 differences.
1. EIGRP is private for Cisco, and OSPF is a generic protocol.
2. EIGRP is a distance vector protocol and OSPF is a link state protocol.
3. EIGRP supports automatic summary functions. It can automatically summarize at the boundary of the A.B.C type network, and also supports manual configuration. Conversely, OSPF cannot, and the summary must be manually configured.
4. EIGRP converges faster than OSPF because it preserves optional successors in its topology map and can pass directly through optional subsequent relays if direct successors are not found.
5. EIGRP multicast address is 224.0.0.10 and OSPF is 224.0.0.5 and 224.0.0.6.
6. EIGRP path metrics are complex, and OSPF is Cost type.
7. Although EIGRP supports the route summarization function, it does not have the concept of hierarchical routing and does not classify networks as OSPF does.
8. In the establishment of a neighbor relationship, EIGRP does not have a complex Down-Init-Two way process. As long as a router sees a neighbor's hello packet, it establishes an adjacency with it.
9. In the implementation of summary functions, EIGRP can be implemented on any interface of any router, while OSPF can only be implemented on ABR and ASBR, and its route summary is not interface-based.
10. EIGRP supports load balancing of unequal path metrics, while OSPF only supports load balancing of equal metrics.