IP Routing Features 
Overview of IP Routing 
IP Route Exchange Protocols 
The switch supports the following IP route exchange protocols: 
■  Routing Information Protocol (RIP) 
■  Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) 
These protocols provide routes to the IP route table. You can use one or more 
of these protocols, in any combination. The protocols are disabled by default. 
For configuration information, see the following: 
■  “Configuring RIP” on page 11-21 
■  “Configuring OSPF” on page 11-34 
IP Global Parameters for Routing Switches 
The following table lists the IP global parameters and the page where you can 
find more information about each parameter. 
Table 11-1.  IP Global Parameters for Routing Switches 
Parameter  Description  Default  See page 
Router ID  The value that routers use to identify themselves to 
other routers when exchanging route information. 
OSPF uses the router ID to identify routers. RIP does 
not use the router ID. 
The lowest-
numbered IP 
address 
configured on the 
lowest-numbered 
routing interface. 
11-10 
Address 
Resolution 
Protocol 
(ARP) 
A standard IP mechanism that routers use to learn 
the Media Access Control (MAC) address of a 
device on the network.  The router sends the IP 
address of a device in the ARP request and receives 
the device’s MAC address in an ARP reply. 
Enabled  11-11 
ARP age  The amount of time the device keeps a MAC address 
learned through ARP in the device’s ARP cache. The 
device resets the timer to zero each time the ARP 
entry is refreshed and removes the entry if the timer 
reaches the ARP age. 
Five minutes  not configurable 
Proxy ARP  An IP mechanism a router can use to answer an ARP 
request on behalf of a host, by replying with the 
router’s own MAC address instead of the host’s. 
Disabled  11-13 
11-7