6.2 Route Switch Modules
6.2.3 Configure a routing protocol on the RSM
All devices in a network communicate with each other via routes. A route is defined as a path from the sending device to the receiving device. If the destination device is on the same network as the sending device, the sending device simply transmits the datagram directly to the destination. When a destination is not on the local network, a sending device forwards the datagram to a Route Processor.

Route processors learn about routes in two different ways:

  • Preprogrammed static routes
  • Dynamically calculated routes (using dynamic routing protocols)

Routing protocols automatically determine optimal paths through internetworks using routing algorithms; they transport information across these paths.

IP routing is enabled by default on all Cisco router products. To assign a routing protocol to a Route Processor, enter the following commands in global configuration mode.

Router(config)#router ip_routing_protocol

After the routing protocol is specified, you must inform the routing protocol which interfaces will participate in the sending and receiving of routing updates. To initiate the routing protocol on the Route Processor interfaces, enter the following command in router configuration mode:

Router(config-router)#network network-number

The network number must correspond to the network number configured on the routers interfaces.

In the example, the Dolphins RSM is configured with the Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), in autonomous system (AS) 1 , and the RSM is routing for network 10.0.0.0.

Lab Activity
  In this lab activity, you will learn how to configure RSM on the 4006 L3 Routing Switch.