Live network migration from RIP to OSPF

[bobbys9]

I have a network with 3 5412zl switches using multicast pim-dense mode. I have 12 VLANs. Currently I am using RIP as the supporting layer 3 protocol. I want to improve impaired network performance (latency in establishing video stream) by using OSPF. Two questions:  can I use a single process ID with a single area for this network with 230 average concurrent sessions, and second, can I configure OSPF while RIP is running and disable RIP after the OSPF has converged? Thanks.

[paulgear]

Hi bobbys9,

I'm not an expert in multicast, but it seems quite unlikely to me that switching from RIP to OSPF will improve multicast convergence times.  Under normal circumstances in the case of both RIP and OSPF, your unicast routing table should already have converged when your video stream starts.  (I think OSPF is worth doing regardless, but i don't expect it will help you in this case.)

But to answer your questions:

1. OSPF scalability is determined by the number of routes in your network, not by the number of video streams; unless you have many thousands of routes, single area should be fine on a platform like the 5400 series.
2. As long as you plan carefully, you should be able to migrate to OSPF online.  Until OSPF neighbour relationships are formed it should have no effect on the routing table, and routes from OSPF will supersede routes from RIP when they are put into the routing table.

[bobbys9]

Thanks Paul. That is helpful. Forgot that the AD will determine which route to use.