An 11-router Internet Protocol network model based on the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing protocol and Link State
Advertisement (LSA) is expressed in the Specification and Description Language (SDL). The corresponding simulation data to
verify the performance of a proposed more efficient OSPF LSA refreshment function is presented. Network traffic generated
by the routing table refreshment activity using the new function is compared to the traffic generated in the Internet today
when using the existing LSA refreshment function. The relative performance characteristics were found to depend on the number
of LSA packets per router and the router startup sequence. Such dependencies when using protocol standards in natural language
are not always visible until a number of implementations of the standard become available and tested in the field. SDL and
tools provide an inexpensive but reliable way of verifying protocols under development in advance of implementation and final
agreement.
Special acknowledgement is made to Dr. Ramachandra Munikoti of Nortel Networks Corporation for his guidance on the project
and his contribution to the business value concepts and criteria used in this paper.