Previous Page: Routing Types  Next Page: Watchdog Packet Spoofing

Static Routes and Services

A static route is a RIP route that is added to the Routing Information Table by a network administrator, rather than by the active routing protocol---in this case, RIP---operating over a network link. For a WAN connection, a static route comprises a WAN call destination, the destination IPX network number, and the route metrics (hops and ticks) to reach the destination. A static service is a SAP service that is also added manually rather than dynamically by SAP. A static service comprises a WAN call destination; the service name and type; the service address network, node, and socket; and the service metrics (hops and ticks) to reach the destination advertising the service. With the routing software, you can configure static routes and services for both permanent and on-demand calls.

When used with permanent calls, static routes and services are useful for redirecting traffic to a particular network, perhaps for security reasons, and for conserving bandwidth on slow or low-capacity links. A single static route is also useful as a default route. In this way, the only routing information crossing the link is that required by users to access a specified set of services.

When used with on-demand calls, static routes and services are useful for connections that use expensive telecommunications carriers and for slow links over which it is undesirable to exchange routing and service information. Consider an internetwork that connects tens to hundreds of branch offices to a single main office. Typically, each branch office requires periodic access to information at the main office. However, it is most likely that the main office periodically polls the branch offices to get up-to-date information, such as the day's sales figures. Because a permanent call to each branch office is not necessary, connections to the main office need only be low-speed, dial-up lines. For this reason, the first several minutes of the call should not be taken up by a flood of routing and service information into a branch office. Nor should there be a relatively smaller flood of (mostly irrelevant) routing and service information from a branch office into the main office.

Figure 4 shows a typical configuration for static routes and services over an on-demand call.

Figure 4
On-Demand Call Between a Branch Office and the Main Office

In this configuration, the branch office router, BRANCH_01_RTR, must know only the addresses and names of a few servers and services. This small number of extra routes and services is of minimal burden to the branch office network. The main office router, MAIN_OFFICE_RTR, must keep track of only a few networks and services from each branch office. This is significantly better than being flooded with potentially thousands of extra routes and services that are of no use to the main office network.

To configure static routes and services for permanent and on-demand calls, you can use either of the following utilities:



  Previous Page: Routing Types  Next Page: Watchdog Packet Spoofing