routingscriterium

Routingscriterium is a term used in networking to denote the criterion or metric by which routing algorithms select one route among multiple candidates. The phrase is not tied to a single formal standard and is often described in literature as the routing metric or decision criterion that determines preferences among alternative paths.

In principle, a routingscriterium is an evaluation function that assigns a score to each potential route based on path characteristics and policy constraints. The route with the most favorable score according to the criterion is chosen for forwarding packets. In practice, routing protocols implement one or more routingscriterium(s) and maintain a table of best-known routes.

Common examples of routingscriterium types include hop count, link cost, bandwidth, delay, reliability, and load. Many networks use composite metrics that combine several factors, possibly with assigned weights, to reflect operational priorities. Specific protocols illustrate the variety: RIP uses hop count as its primary criterion; OSPF uses a configurable link cost that often correlates with bandwidth; EIGRP employs a composite metric incorporating bandwidth and delay; BGP bases decisions on policy-based attributes such as local preference, AS path, and next-hop feasibility.

Multi-criteria routing, where several factors are considered simultaneously, can improve performance but may introduce complexity and stability challenges, such as oscillations or increased convergence time. Normalization and policy considerations help ensure consistent decision-making across devices.

See also routing metric, routing protocol, routing policy, and multi-criteria optimization.