Final answer:
Link-state routing protocols use the cost of the link, the type of network link, and the link router interface IP address and subnet mask as initial link-state information. These pieces of information are crucial for establishing routes and transmitting data across the network.
Step-by-step explanation:
When it comes to link-state routing protocols, there are specific pieces of information that are used initially as link-state information for locally connected links. These protocols, such as OSPF and IS-IS, use the following three key pieces of information:
- The cost of that link - This refers to the metric or value used by the routing protocol to determine the desirability of a path. The lower the cost, the more preferred the path.
- The type of network link - This identifies the kind of network link, such as Ethernet or Serial, which can affect how routing protocols calculate the cost and choose optimal paths.
- The link router interface IP address and subnet mask - This provides the addressing information necessary for the routing protocol to establish accurate routes and transmit data across the network.
Other information such as the link bandwidth and next-hop IP address are also important but not part of the initial link-state information used by these protocols.