3Com CoreBuilder 3500, Implementation Manual, Page: 262 / 592

262 C
HAPTER
11: I
NTERNET
P
ROTOCOL
(IP)
Features and Benefits IP routing provides the following features and benefits:
■
Economy
— Because you can connect several segments to the same
subnet with routing, you can increase the level of segmentation in
your network without creating new subnets or assigning new network
addresses. Instead, you can use additional Ethernet ports to expand
existing subnets. You do not need to create additional subnets and
assign new network addresses to existing hosts.
■
Optimal routing — IP routing can be the most powerful tool in a
complex network setup for sending devices to find the best route to
receiving devices. (The best route here means the shortest and fastest
route.)
■
Flexibility — Using IP routing policies and ICMP, you can control the
amount, the importance, and the type of traffic on your network.
(Routing policies and ICMP are discussed later in this chapter.)
■
Resiliency — If a router in the network goes down, the other routers
update their routing tables to compensate for this occurrence; in a
typical case, there is no need for you to manually intervene.