OSPF DR/BDR Election explained

OSPF uses a DR (Designated Router) and BDR (Backup Designated Router) on each multi-access network. A multi-access network is a segment where we have more than two routers. OSPF figures this out by looking at the interface type. For example, an Ethernet interface is considered a multi-access network, and a serial interface is considered a point-to-point interface.



Most CCNA students think that this DR/BDR election is done per area but this is incorrect. I’ll show you how the election is done and how you can influence it. This is the topology we’ll use:

Here’s an example of a network with 3 OSPF routers on a FastEthernet network. They are connected to the same switch (multi-access network) so there will be a DR/BDR election. OSPF has been configured, so all routers have become OSPF neighbors. Let’s take a look:

R1#show ip ospf neighbor

Neighbor ID     Pri   State       Dead Time   Address       Interface
192.168.123.2   1   FULL/BDR      00:00:32    192.168.123.2 FastEthernet0/0
192.168.123.3   1   FULL/DR       00:00:31    192.168.123.3 FastEthernet0/0

From R1’s perspective, R2 is the BDR, and R3 is the DR.

R3#show ip ospf neighbor

Neighbor ID     Pri   State       Dead Time   Address         Interface
192.168.123.1   1   FULL/DROTHER  00:00:36    192.168.123.1 FastEthernet0/0
192.168.123.2   1   FULL/BDR      00:00:39    192.168.123.2 FastEthernet0/0

When a router is not the DR or BDR, it’s called a DROTHER. Here we can see that R1 is a DROTHER.

R2#show ip ospf neighbor

Neighbor ID     Pri   State       Dead Time   Address         Interface
192.168.123.1   1   FULL/DROTHER  00:00:31    192.168.123.1 FastEthernet0/0
192.168.123.3   1   FULL/DR       00:00:32    192.168.123.3 FastEthernet0/0

And R2 (the BDR) sees the DR and DROTHER.

Of course, we can change which router becomes the DR/BDR by playing with the priority. Let’s turn R1 in the DR:

R1(config)#interface fastEthernet 0/0
R1(config-if)#ip ospf priority 200

You change the priority if you like by using the ip ospf priority command:

  • The default priority is 1.
  • A priority of 0 means you will never be elected as DR or BDR.
  • You need to use clear ip ospf process before this change takes effect.
R1#show ip ospf neighbor 

Neighbor ID     Pri   State       Dead Time   Address         Interface
192.168.123.2   1   FULL/BDR      00:00:31    192.168.123.2 FastEthernet0/0
192.168.123.3   1   FULL/DR       00:00:32    192.168.123.3 FastEthernet0/0

As you can see, R3 is still the DR, we need to reset the OSPF neighbor adjacencies so that we’ll elect the new DR and BDR.

R3#clear ip ospf process 
Reset ALL OSPF processes? [no]: yes
R2#clear ip ospf process 
Reset ALL OSPF processes? [no]: yes

I’ll reset all the OPSF neighbor adjacencies.

R1#show ip ospf neighbor 

Neighbor ID     Pri   State       Dead Time   Address         Interface
192.168.123.2   1   FULL/DROTHER  00:00:36    192.168.123.2 FastEthernet0/0
192.168.123.3   1   FULL/BDR      00:00:30    192.168.123.3 FastEthernet0/0

Now you can see R1 is the DR because the other routers are DROTHER and BDR.

R3#show ip ospf neighbor
Neighbor ID     Pri  State        Dead Time   Address         Interface
192.168.123.1   200  FULL/DR      00:00:30    192.168.123.1 FastEthernet0/0
192.168.123.2   1    FULL/DROTHER 00:00:31    192.168.123.2 FastEthernet0/0

Or we can confirm it from R3. You’ll see that R1 is the DR and that the priority is 200.

  • Configurations
  • R1
  • R2
  • R3

Want to take a look for yourself? Here you will find the startup configuration of each device.
Something you need to be aware of is that the DR/BDR election is per multi-access segment…not per area!). Let me give you an example:

In the example above, we have two multi-access segments. Between R2 and R1, and between R2 and R3. For each segment, there will be a DR/BDR election.

R2#show ip ospf neighbor 

Neighbor ID     Pri   State     Dead Time   Address         Interface
192.168.23.3    200   FULL/DR   00:00:36    192.168.23.3    FastEthernet1/0
192.168.12.1    200   FULL/DR   00:00:37    192.168.12.1    FastEthernet0/0

In the example above, you can see that:

  • R1 is the DR for the 192.168.12.0/24 segment.
  • R3 is the DR for the 192.168.23.0/24 segment.

This also means that R2 is the BDR for the 192.168.12.0/24 and the BDR for the 192.168.23.0/24 segment.

  • Configurations
  • R1
  • R2
  • R3

Want to take a look for yourself? Here you will find the startup configuration of each device.
Last but not least, let me show you an example where we don’t have a DR/BDR election:

R1#show ip ospf neighbor

Neighbor ID     Pri   State           Dead Time   Address         Interface
192.168.12.2      0   FULL/  -        00:00:36    192.168.12.2    Serial0/0
R2#show ip ospf neighbor

Neighbor ID     Pri   State           Dead Time   Address         Interface
192.168.12.1      0   FULL/  -        00:00:34    192.168.12.1    Serial0/0

Here’s an example of a point-to-point link running HDLC. You can see that we have a neighbor, but we didn’t do an election for DR or BDR. It makes sense because there is always only one router on the other side.

  • Configurations
  • R1
  • R2

Unit 1: Introduction to OSPF

Unit 2: OSPF Neighbor Adjacency

Unit 3: OSPF Network Types

Unit 4: OSPF Stub Areas

Unit 5: Advanced OSPF Topics