Cisco IOS® Software, which supplies IP intelligence to the Cisco product-based networks through a suite of value-added technologies and features, supports more protocol interfaces than any other internetworking supplier in the industry. The IP Routing comprises the basics for delivery of high availability, scalability, and connectivity that enterprises and service providers alike require for today's business applications.

IP Routing can be classified in many ways, including operational characteristics, such as their field of use and the number of redundant routes to each supported destination. Dynamic routing protocols are categorized as Interior Gateway Protocols (IGPs) and Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGPs). IGPs are used within an autonomous system, in other words, within a single controlling entity, whereas EGPs are used between autonomous systems.