352-001 · Question #517
What are two possible drawbacks of ending Loop-Free Alternate to support fast convergence for most destination IGP prefixes? (Choose two)
The correct answer is A. The IGP topology might need to be adjust E. Additional path computations are needed. LFA (Loop-Free Alternate) drawbacks include topology dependency that may require IGP redesign to achieve full prefix coverage, and the extra SPF computations required to identify qualifying alternate next-hops.
Question
What are two possible drawbacks of ending Loop-Free Alternate to support fast convergence for most destination IGP prefixes? (Choose two)
Options
- AThe IGP topology might need to be adjust
- BLoop-free alternate's convergence in less than 100 milliseconds is not possible
- CLoop-free alternate's are supported only for prefixes that are considered external tot the IGP
- DLoop-free alternates are not supported in global VPN VRF OSPF instances
- EAdditional path computations are needed
How the community answered
(41 responses)- A61% (25)
- B5% (2)
- C24% (10)
- D10% (4)
Why each option
LFA (Loop-Free Alternate) drawbacks include topology dependency that may require IGP redesign to achieve full prefix coverage, and the extra SPF computations required to identify qualifying alternate next-hops.
LFA coverage is highly topology-dependent - not all IGP prefixes will have a qualifying loop-free alternate neighbor, so the network topology may require redesign (adding links or adjusting metrics) to achieve alternate-path coverage for most destinations.
Sub-100ms convergence is a primary goal and achieved benefit of LFA, not a drawback - LFA is specifically designed to enable IP fast reroute in under 50ms upon failure detection.
LFA supports both internal (intra-area, inter-area) and external IGP prefixes, not exclusively external ones - this statement is factually incorrect regarding LFA's scope.
LFA can be deployed within VRF OSPF instances; there is no architectural restriction preventing LFA from operating in VPN VRF routing contexts.
Computing LFAs requires additional SPF runs beyond the primary path calculation - specifically, the router must execute SPF from each neighbor's perspective to determine which neighbors qualify as loop-free alternates, increasing CPU and memory consumption.
Concept tested: Loop-Free Alternate fast reroute drawbacks and limitations
Source: https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5286
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