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Home / Glossary / OSPF
Glossary · Protocol

OSPF

Open Shortest Path First

In plain language

A method routers use to share information and find the best path through a network.

The metaphor

Like a navigation app that updates routes as roads open and close.

Going deeper

How it works

  • Routers tell each other which networks they can reach.
  • They work out the shortest path and switch if a link fails.
  • It is used in larger networks with many routers.
  • A small office with one firewall does not need it.

How WILDCARD handles it

Network covers the managed firewall and switches that sit behind your provider's modem.

In practice
  • A company with several sites uses it between its routers.
  • A technician checks the neighbours a router can see.
  • A campus network uses it to recover from a failed link.

A question owners ask

Does a small office use it?

Usually not. It matters when you have several routers or sites that need to find each other automatically.

Where WILDCARD handles this
Network
  • Firewall managed and monitored
  • Switches kept current
  • On-prem Active Directory auth
Start with Network
Related terms
ACLAccess Control ListAHAuthentication HeaderAPAccess PointARPAddress Resolution ProtocolBPDUBridge Protocol Data UnitCCMPCounter Mode/CBC-MAC ProtocolCCTVClosed-circuit TelevisionCHAPChallenge Handshake Authentication Protocol

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