Network management often involves consolidating multiple network routes into more concise representations. This process, typically achieved through a software tool, simplifies routing tables, reduces routing protocol overhead, and improves network performance. For example, a set of individual IP addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24, 192.168.2.0/24, 192.168.3.0/24) could be summarized as a single, more aggregated route (e.g., 192.168.0.0/22).
Concise route representation offers significant advantages in large and complex networks. Smaller routing tables lead to faster lookups, conserving router resources and improving packet forwarding speeds. Reduced routing protocol overhead translates to lower bandwidth consumption and faster convergence times after network changes. Historically, this aggregation was often performed manually, a tedious and error-prone process. Automated tools streamline this task, increasing accuracy and efficiency. This simplification is vital for managing the ever-growing complexity of modern networks.
