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350-401 Practice Question: Drag and drop the steps of OSPF SPF calculation…
Drag and drop the steps of OSPF SPF calculation steps (Dijkstra) into the correct order, from first to last.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
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Correct answer & explanation
Initialize candidate list with root router
The Dijkstra SPF algorithm first initializes the candidate list with the root router itself. It then examines the root's neighbors, adding them to the candidate list. The router with the lowest cost is moved from candidate to the SPF tree. The process repeats by examining the newly added router's neighbors and updating the candidate list. Finally, when all routers are in the SPF tree, the algorithm terminates and the routing table is populated.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
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Last reviewed: Jun 18, 2026
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