Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

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What algorithm does OSPF use for determining the best path?

Bellman-Ford
Flooding
Dijkstra
Link State Advertisement

The correct answer is: Dijkstra

The correct answer is indeed Dijkstra. OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) utilizes Dijkstra's algorithm, also known as the Shortest Path First (SPF) algorithm, to determine the best path for routing packets across a network. This algorithm is crucial because it allows OSPF to create a shortest-path tree from the link-state database, which contains all the routing information exchanged between routers in the OSPF area. By calculating the shortest path, OSPF ensures efficient routing and minimal latency in network communications. This choice is pivotal for OSPF's operation, enabling it to function as a link-state routing protocol. The other method used in OSPF is Link State Advertisement (LSA), which refers to the packets that routers send to share routing information but does not determine the best path in and of itself. Thus, while various protocols use different algorithms, Dijkstra's is the specific approach employed by OSPF for optimizing route selection.