IP Addressing Fundamentals

The Problem with “Open” Networking

As you saw in Chapter 11, “Internetworking with IP,” the problem with open networking begins with the fact that routers are both intelligent and autonomous. You might be able to influence their decision-making processes, but they ultimately choose the best path to each destination network—unless, of course, you abandon dynamic routing protocols in favor of static routes! That leads us to perhaps the biggest problem with open networking: Routers communicate with their neighbors. Although you could effectively argue that is a feature of networking instead of a flaw (and you'd be correct), the point is that this autonomous communication can sometimes result in the propagation of misinformation.

Within the confines ...