Final answer:
The link-state algorithm, also known as the shortest path first (SPF) algorithm, is used in computer networking to calculate the shortest path between routers in a network. Each router creates a link-state database that contains information about its directly connected neighbors, and this information is shared with other routers using the Link-State Advertisement (LSA) protocol. The routers update their databases and use the SPF algorithm to determine the optimal routes for forwarding network traffic.
Step-by-step explanation:
The link-state algorithm, also known as the shortest path first (SPF) algorithm, is used in computer networking to calculate the shortest path between routers in a network. In this algorithm, each router creates a link-state database that contains information about its directly connected neighbors, such as the cost or distance to reach them. This information is then shared with other routers in the network using a protocol called the Link-State Advertisement (LSA).
When a router receives an LSA from a neighboring router, it updates its own link-state database to reflect the information contained in the LSA. It then uses this updated database to calculate the shortest path to each destination by running the SPF algorithm. The resulting shortest path tree is used to determine the optimal routes for forwarding network traffic.