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OSPF External path selection: External Type-2 (E2) VS NSSA Type-2 (N2)- Scenario 1

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) path selection behaviour when a router receives both a Type-5 link-state advertisement (LSA) and a Type-7 LSA for a given external network. 

When redistribution is performed in a non-NSSA area, OSPF will inject a Type-5 LSA into the OSPF domain. Redistribution into an NSSA area creates a special type of LSA referred to as Type-7, which can only exist in an NSSA area. 

In the below mentioned first network scenario, there is both a non-backbone area 1 and a NSSA area 50 connected to R1. R1 is an Area Border Router (ABR) connected to backbone area 0. Both R2 and R3 are responsible for redistributing the same prefix 192.0.2.100/32 into the OSPF domain.

In this scenario, we will be looking at what behaviour is observed when using RFC 3101 for external path calculation. We will be interested in prefix 192.0.2.100/32 that is redistributed on both R3 and R2.

Fig 1.1- Network Topology Scenario 1
Type-1 LSA from R1 is in the below output:

RouterXP_R1#show ip ospf database router 1.1.1.1
            OSPF Router with ID (1.1.1.1) (Process ID 1)
                Router Link States (Area 0)
  LS age: 51
  Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)
  LS Type: Router Links
  Link State ID: 1.1.1.1
  Advertising Router: 1.1.1.1
  LS Seq Number: 80000007
  Checksum: 0x3BD6
  Length: 48
  Area Border Router
  AS Boundary Router
  Number of Links: 2
    Link connected to: another Router (point-to-point)
     (Link ID) Neighboring Router ID: 4.4.4.4
     (Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.14.1
      Number of MTID metrics: 0
       TOS 0 Metrics: 1
    Link connected to: a Stub Network
     (Link ID) Network/subnet number: 192.168.14.0
     (Link Data) Network Mask: 255.255.255.0
      Number of MTID metrics: 0
       TOS 0 Metrics: 1

Router Link States (Area 1)
  LS age: 562
  Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)
  LS Type: Router Links
  Link State ID: 1.1.1.1
  Advertising Router: 1.1.1.1
  LS Seq Number: 8000000C
  Checksum: 0xEC26
  Length: 48
  Area Border Router
  AS Boundary Router
  Number of Links: 2
    Link connected to: another Router (point-to-point)
     (Link ID) Neighboring Router ID: 3.3.3.3
     (Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.13.1
      Number of MTID metrics: 0
       TOS 0 Metrics: 1
    Link connected to: a Stub Network
     (Link ID) Network/subnet number: 192.168.13.0
     (Link Data) Network Mask: 255.255.255.0
      Number of MTID metrics: 0
       TOS 0 Metrics: 1

 Router Link States (Area 50)
  LS age: 562
  Options: (No TOS-capability, DC)
  LS Type: Router Links
  Link State ID: 1.1.1.1
  Advertising Router: 1.1.1.1
  LS Seq Number: 80000012
  Checksum: 0x42CA
  Length: 48
  Area Border Router
  AS Boundary Router
  Number of Links: 2
    Link connected to: another Router (point-to-point)
     (Link ID) Neighboring Router ID: 2.2.2.2
     (Link Data) Router Interface address: 192.168.12.1
      Number of MTID metrics: 0
       TOS 0 Metrics: 1
    Link connected to: a Stub Network
     (Link ID) Network/subnet number: 192.168.12.0
     (Link Data) Network Mask: 255.255.255.0
      Number of MTID metrics: 0
       TOS 0 Metrics: 1

On R1 we have the following external LSAs in our database:

RouterXP_R1#show ip ospf database external

            OSPF Router with ID (1.1.1.1) (Process ID 1)
                Type-5 AS External Link States

  LS age: 706
  Options: (No TOS-capability, DC, Upward)
  LS Type: AS External Link
  Link State ID: 192.0.2.100 (External Network Number )
  Advertising Router: 1.1.1.1
  LS Seq Number: 80000001
  Checksum: 0xE617
  Length: 36
  Network Mask: /32
        Metric Type: 2 (Larger than any link state path)
        MTID: 0
        Metric: 20
        Forward Address: 192.168.12.2
        External Route Tag: 0

  LS age: 600
  Options: (No TOS-capability, DC, Upward)
  LS Type: AS External Link
  Link State ID: 192.0.2.100 (External Network Number )
  Advertising Router: 3.3.3.3
  LS Seq Number: 80000002
  Checksum: 0xBFAC
  Length: 36
  Network Mask: /32
        Metric Type: 2 (Larger than any link state path)
        MTID: 0
        Metric: 20
        Forward Address: 0.0.0.0
        External Route Tag: 0


RouterXP_R1#show ip ospf database nssa-external

            OSPF Router with ID (1.1.1.1) (Process ID 1)
                Type-7 AS External Link States (Area 50)

  LS age: 865
  Options: (No TOS-capability, Type 7/5 translation, DC, Upward)
  LS Type: AS External Link
  Link State ID: 192.0.2.100 (External Network Number )
  Advertising Router: 2.2.2.2
  LS Seq Number: 80000002
  Checksum: 0x32BC
  Length: 36
  Network Mask: /32
        Metric Type: 2 (Larger than any link state path)
        MTID: 0
        Metric: 20
        Forward Address: 192.168.12.2
        External Route Tag: 0

Now lets check what LSA is preferred on R1: 

RouterXP_R1#show ip ospf rib 192.0.2.100

            OSPF Router with ID (1.1.1.1) (Process ID 1)
                Base Topology (MTID 0)

OSPF local RIB
Codes: * - Best, > - Installed in global RIB
LSA: type/LSID/originator

*>  192.0.2.100/32, NSSA2, cost 20, fwd cost 1, tag 0, area 50
     SPF Instance 38, age 00:04:51
      contributing LSA: 7/192.0.2.100/2.2.2.2 (area 50)
      contributing LSA: 5/192.0.2.100/3.3.3.3
     Flags: RIB, HiPrio, ViaFwAddr, IntraNonBB, NSSA P-bit
      via 192.168.12.2, GigabitEthernet1 label 1048578
       Flags: RIB
       LSA: 7/192.0.2.100/2.2.2.2

As we can see in the above output, R1 prefers LSAs Type-7 from R2. This is because we are following RFC 3101, which has the following path calculation preference

1. A Type-7 LSA with the P-bit set.
2. A Type-5 LSA.
3. The LSA with the higher router ID.

Note: Please be aware that the following path calculation preference is applicable if the current LSA is functionally the same as an installed LSA. We can verify that the forwarding metric for both LSAs are the same looking at Type-1 LSA of R1.


Now if we clear the P-bit on NSSA Type-7 LSA from R2 we will see that we will prefer Type-5 LSA from R3.Before we proceed with clearing the P-bit on R2, here is output of type-7 LSA from R2.

RouteXP_R2#show ip ospf database nssa-external

            OSPF Router with ID (2.2.2.2) (Process ID 1)

                Type-7 AS External Link States (Area 50)

  LS age: 1215
  Options: (No TOS-capability, Type 7/5 translation, DC, Upward)
  LS Type: AS External Link
  Link State ID: 192.0.2.100 (External Network Number )
  Advertising Router: 2.2.2.2
  LS Seq Number: 80000002
  Checksum: 0x32BC
  Length: 36
  Network Mask: /32
        Metric Type: 2 (Larger than any link state path)
        MTID: 0
        Metric: 20
        Forward Address: 192.168.12.2
        External Route Tag: 0

The P-bit can be cleared when an NSSA border router originates both a Type-5 LSA and a Type-7 LSA for the same network

RouteXP_R2#show ip ospf database nssa-external

            OSPF Router with ID (2.2.2.2) (Process ID 1)

                Type-7 AS External Link States (Area 50)

  LS age: 44
  Options: (No TOS-capability, No Type 7/5 translation, DC, Upward)
  LS Type: AS External Link
  Link State ID: 192.0.2.100 (External Network Number )
  Advertising Router: 2.2.2.2
  LS Seq Number: 80000003
  Checksum: 0xBFAD
  Length: 36
  Network Mask: /32
        Metric Type: 2 (Larger than any link state path)
        MTID: 0
        Metric: 20
        Forward Address: 0.0.0.0
        External Route Tag: 0

Here are some important characteristics about the above output mentioned below:
  • Bit P—This bit is used in order to tell the NSSA ABR whether to translate type 7 into type 5.
  • No Type 7/5 translation means bit P = 0.
  • Type 7/5 translation means bit P = 1.
  • If bit P = 0, then the NSSA ABR must not translate this LSA into Type 5. This happens when NSSA ASBR is also an NSSA ABR.
  • If bit P = 1, then the NSSA ABR must translate this type 7 LSA into a type 5 LSA. If there are multiple NSSA ABRs, the one with the highest router ID does this. 
Now when we check on R1 we see that we prefer Type-5 over Type-7 LSA.

RouteXP_R1#show ip ospf rib 192.0.2.100

            OSPF Router with ID (1.1.1.1) (Process ID 1)

                Base Topology (MTID 0)

OSPF local RIB
Codes: * - Best, > - Installed in global RIB
LSA: type/LSID/originator

*>  192.0.2.100/32, Ext2, cost 20, fwd cost 1, tag 0
     SPF Instance 39, age 00:03:32
      contributing LSA: 7/192.0.2.100/2.2.2.2 (area 50)
      contributing LSA: 5/192.0.2.100/3.3.3.3
     Flags: RIB, HiPrio, IntraNonBB
      via 192.168.13.3, GigabitEthernet2 label 1048578
       Flags: RIB
       LSA: 5/192.0.2.100/3.3.3.3