Which protocol is known for using Equal Cost Multi-Path for load balancing?

The correct answer is EIGRP, which is known for its use of Equal Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) for load balancing. EIGRP, or Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol, is a Cisco proprietary routing protocol that allows multiple paths to a destination to be utilized simultaneously when those paths have the same cost. This enables efficient use of network bandwidth and enhances the overall performance and redundancy of the routing process.

When EIGRP discovers multiple routes with equal metrics to a destination, it can install these paths in the routing table and distribute the outgoing traffic equally among them. This effectively increases the potential throughput and provides a means for failover; if one path fails, EIGRP can quickly redirect traffic to other available paths while maintaining the flow of data.

In contrast, the other protocols listed, while they have their own features and benefits, do not employ ECMP in the same way EIGRP does. For example, OSPF does support multi-path routing, but its implementation differs and can be less straightforward in specific scenarios compared to EIGRP. Additionally, RIP, being a distance-vector protocol, primarily relies on a single path to a destination based on the lowest hop count. BGP is more focused on path attributes and policy