In EIGRP metric calculation, which element is used in conjunction with bandwidth?

In EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol), the metric for calculating the best path to a destination is based on a combination of several factors to determine the most efficient route. Among these factors, delay specifically refers to the time it takes for a packet to traverse the network to reach the destination.

When calculating the EIGRP metric, bandwidth and delay are combined to derive a composite metric that EIGRP uses to prioritize routes. Bandwidth represents the maximum data transfer rate of the network link, while delay measures the overall latency introduced by the network path. This combination helps EIGRP make intelligent routing decisions based on the speed and responsiveness of routes, making it critical for ensuring optimal network performance.

The other elements listed, such as reliability and jitter, while relevant in different contexts (like quality assessments of the network), do not play a direct role in the fundamental EIGRP metric calculation alongside bandwidth. Reliability reflects the likelihood of the link being operational, and jitter measures the variability in packet arrival times, but they are not used in the basic metric computation in conjunction with bandwidth in the same way that delay is.