Which routing protocol utilizes K-values for metric calculation?

The routing protocol that utilizes K-values for metric calculation is EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol). K-values are used in EIGRP's composite metric calculation, which evaluates various metrics such as bandwidth, delay, load, and reliability to determine the most efficient routing path.

In EIGRP, these K-values represent the weights assigned to each of the metrics. The default K-values are typically set to reflect a network's typical characteristics, but they can be adjusted to fine-tune the metric calculation for specific needs, allowing network administrators to prioritize certain metrics over others. This flexibility enables EIGRP to adapt to varying network conditions and requirements, making it a versatile option for routing in complex network environments.

In contrast, the other protocols - OSPF, RIP, and BGP - rely on different mechanisms for metric calculation and do not utilize K-values in the same way that EIGRP does. OSPF primarily uses cost derived from link bandwidth, while RIP uses hop count, and BGP employs various attributes such as AS path and local preference for its routing decisions.