Question

Difficulty: MediumIPv4 Static Routing

A network administrator configures a static route using only a next-hop IP address. Place the operational steps in the correct order that a Cisco IOS router performs to process and forward a packet using this recursive static route.

  1. 1The router receives an IPv4 packet and evaluates the destination address against the routing table to find the longest matching prefix.
  2. 2The router matches the static route entry and identifies the next-hop IPv4 address specified in the configuration.
  3. 3The router performs a recursive lookup in the routing table to resolve the next-hop IP address to an exit interface.
  4. 4The router queries the ARP table for the destination MAC address corresponding to the next-hop IPv4 address on the exit interface.
  5. 5The router encapsulates the packet into a new Layer 2 frame with the next-hop destination MAC address and transmits it out the exit interface.

Answer

The correct sequence of packet forwarding steps for a recursive static route is: 1) Evaluate destination against routing table for longest prefix match, 2) Identify matching static route and extract next-hop IP, 3) Perform recursive lookup to resolve next-hop IP to an exit interface, 4) Query ARP table for next-hop MAC address on that interface, 5) Encapsulate frame and forward out the exit interface.
When an IPv4 static route is configured using only a next-hop IP address, Cisco IOS must resolve the outgoing interface by performing a second (recursive) lookup in the routing table. First, the router matches the packet destination address to the static route entry. Second, it extracts the next-hop IP. Third, it recursively resolves that next-hop IP to a connected interface. Fourth, it uses ARP on that interface to determine the next-hop MAC address. Finally, it encapsulates the packet and forwards it out the interface.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine incoming packet destination
Longest match matching the static route prefix is found
Cisco IOS routing logic always evaluates the destination IPv4 address against all known routes using longest prefix matching first.
2
Extract next-hop IP address
Next-hop IPv4 address identified
Static routes configured in the format 'ip route prefix mask next-hop-ip' do not explicitly define the outgoing interface.
3
Perform recursive routing lookup
Exit interface and directly connected network identified
The router must locate a connected or dynamic route entry that covers the next-hop IP address to find the exit interface.
4
Resolve Layer 2 address
Next-hop MAC address obtained from ARP cache
For multi-access Ethernet interfaces, the router requires the destination MAC address of the next-hop gateway.
5
Frame encapsulation and transmission
Packet successfully transmitted
The packet is encapsulated with the local exit interface source MAC and next-hop destination MAC address.

Key Concept

Recursive Static Route Lookup and Packet Forwarding Process
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