Configuring and

Verifying OSPF
Special Area Types
Implementing a Scalable Multiarea Network OSPFBased Solution

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OSPF Area Types and Structure

OSPF is based on a two-level hierarchical area structure
Each area has its own topology database
Area Types
Backbone area: Connects all other areas
Normal area: Contains all of the internal and external routing
information
Stub area: Contains internal and area routing information, but
not external routing information
Totally stubby area: Contains area routing information only;
Cisco proprietary
Not-so-stubby area: Contains area and external routing
information

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Types of Areas

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OSPF Router and LSA Types

ABR is generating Summary LSAs
ASBR is generating External LSAs
Summary and External LSAs can be blocked and default route is
sent instead

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Stub and Totally Stub Area Rules

An area can be stub or totally stub if:
There is one ABR or more
All routers that are members of the stub area are configured as
stub routers
There is no ASBR in the area
The area is not an area 0
No virtual links go through the area

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OSPF Stub Areas

External LSAs are stopped.
The default route is advertised into the stub area by the ABR.

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Stub Area Configuration

R2(config-router)#

area 2 stub
This command turns on stub area networking.
Configure all routers in the stub area as stub routers.
ABR(config-router)#

area 2 stub
area 2 default-cost 10
This command defines the cost of a default route sent into the
stub area (default is 1); defining the cost is optional.

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OSPF Stub Area Configuration Example

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OSPF Totally Stubby Areas

External and Summary LSAs are stopped
The default route is sent instead
Cisco proprietary feature

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Totally Stubby Area Configuration

R2(config-router)#

area 2 stub
This command turns on stub area networking
Configure all routers in the stub area as stub routers
ABR(config-router)#

area 2 stub no-summary

area 2 default-cost 10
First command defines the totally stubby area on the ABR router
Second command defines the cost of a default route sent into the
totally stubby area (default is 1); defining the cost is optional

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Totally Stubby Configuration Example

Router R2 is the preferred ABR

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Routing Table in a Normal Area

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Routing Table in a Stub Area

Use the area 1 stub command to configure a stub area.

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Routing Table in a Stub Area with

Summarization
Use the area 1 stub and area 1 range commands.

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Routing Table in a Totally Stubby Area

Use the area 1 stub command on all internal routers.
Use the area 1 stub no-summary command on the ABRs.

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OSPF Not-So-Stubby Areas (NSSAs)

NSSA breaks stub area rules
ASBR is allowed inside
LSA type 7 sent by ASBR

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ABR converts LSA type 7

to LSA type 5
ABR sends the default route
into NSSA instead of external
(LSA type 5) routes

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OSPF Totally NSSA Areas

ABR is blocking Type 3, 4, 5 LSAs
ABR is sending the default route into the NSSA instead
This is a Cisco proprietary feature

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Totally NSSA Area Configuration

R2(config-router)#

area 2 nssa
This command turns on NSSA area networking
Set on all routers in the NSSA area
ABR(config-router)#

area 2 nssa no-summary

area 2 default-cost 10
The first command defines the totally NSSA area on ABRs
The second command defines the cost of a default route sent into
the NSSA area (default is 1)

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NSSA Configuration Example

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Totally NSSA Configuration Example

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Example of Different Areas

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show Commands for Stub and NSSA

R1#

show ip ospf
Displays which areas are normal, stub, or NSSA
R1#

show ip ospf database

Displays the details of the LSAs
R1#

show ip ospf database nssa-external

Displays the details of each LSA type 7 update in the database
R1#

show ip route
Displays all routes
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Summary
There are several OSPF area types: normal, backbone, stub,
totally stubby, NSSA, and totally NSSA.
Use the area area-id stub command to define an area as stubby.
Use the area area-id stub command with the no-summary
keyword on the ABR only to define an area as totally stubby.
For stub areas, external routes are not visible in the routing table,
but are accessible via the intra-area default route. For totally
stubby areas, interarea and external routes are not visible in the
routing table, but are accessible via the intra-area default route.
Use the area area-id nssa command to define an area as NSSA.
Use the show ip ospf, show ip ospf database, and show ip
route commands to verify all types of stub areas. Use the show
ip ospf database nssa-external command to display details of
type 7 LSAs.
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 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

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