In OSPF, what is the state immediately following "Down"?

In OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) networking, the state immediately following "Down" is "Init." This state indicates that OSPF has detected the presence of a neighbor but has not yet established a full link with that neighbor.

When an OSPF router initializes its interface or begins the OSPF process, it starts in the "Down" state. Once it sends a hello packet to a potential neighbor and receives a hello packet back, it transitions to the "Init" state. At this point, the router recognizes that there is at least one neighbor present, but they have not yet exchanged routing information or established a full adjacency.

Understanding these states is essential for troubleshooting and configuring OSPF networks, as they provide insight into the relationship between OSPF routers and the progress toward forming a stable routing environment.