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Routing & Switching · Foundational

OSPF Area

A logical grouping of OSPF routers and links that share an LSDB, limiting flooding and SPF scope.

Definition

Areas are identified by a 32-bit number written as a decimal or dotted decimal. All non-backbone areas must connect to area 0. Interfaces, not routers, belong to areas, so one router can sit in several areas as an ABR. Area types include normal, stub, totally stubby, NSSA and totally NSSA.

Example

network 10.2.0.0 0.0.255.255 area 2

Exam tip

Area numbers must match on both ends of a link for adjacency.

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