Distance vector
(also distance vector routing, DVR)
Distance vector definition
Distance vector is a routing algorithm used to determine the best path for forwarding data packets between nodes. It is based on the concept of distance vectors that are used to estimate the distance or cost of reaching a destination network. In a network with multiple routers, each router wants to know the shortest path to reach other routers or destinations on the network. Distance vector is like a map or a set of instructions that each router uses to find the best route. The distance is measured in terms of how many steps or “hops” it takes to reach a destination. Each router keeps track of its own distance from other routers and shares this information with its neighbors.
The routers exchange this information periodically, like sharing notes, and update their own routing tables based on the received information. They compare the distances they know with the distances their neighbors know, and if they find a shorter path, they update their tables accordingly.
Distance vector is a simple way for routers to communicate and collaborate to find the most efficient paths for sending data across a network.