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Routing protocols from small networks

A friend of mine is a boss of a small company. He has some around 4 pcs and a server. A file server is used to share and store the data. The staff can connect to an extranet so that their files are uploaded remotely through a vpn connection.

For a small company is still worth it to implement spanning tree protocol? There are not so many routes to arrive to your destination!

What routing protocols are used to route packets by using a manually populated routing table. I know the disadvantages behind it but I think in this scenario there is no need to implement complex routing protocols.

What is your opinion on this?

Thanks

Reply to
tamasumalta
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If this network only has four PC's and one server then it's unlikely that there is any routing going on internally at all? What is the network topology? Spanning tree is not a routing protocol but is designed to prevent forwarding loops on L2 networks where you have multiple paths between switches. I'm guessing that your friend doesn't have this problem?

I would guess that all four PC's and the server are on the same physical switch and on a flat, single subnet network. If this is the case then spanning tree isn't an issue and neither is routing protocols, as there won't be any L3 routing going on (other than to the default gateway for internet access).

Chris.

Reply to
Chris

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com schrieb:

routing protocols are mainly for distributing routing tables between routers. So if there is only one router (even with more than one route to the internet) you will be happy without routing protocols in most cases.

If you want automatically failover and redundancy in your connection to the outside world, you may consider dynamic routing.

Reply to
Uli Link

Spanning-tree is NOT a routing protocol, it is a layer 2 protocol to ensure a loop-free layer 2 topology and should be enabled in most instances. Routing protocols are used in networks with more than one router, and more than one subnet. The routing protocol is used by the routers so that each can exchange routing table information. The network you describe would gain nothing from a routing protocol because you have only one router and one subnet.

Reply to
Thrill5

Hello snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com,

A routing protocol is something you implement when you have more than one router. If your scenario only involves one router you don't need a routing protocol.

Spanning tree is a layer two protocol. It does not involve routing, only maintaining a loop free switched network.

You should use spanning tree all the time. A routing protocol if you have more than one router.

All routing protocols can distribute static routes.

Reply to
Helge Olav Helgesen

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