Which two timers are used by EIGRP to maintain the status of a neighbor?

The two timers used by EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol) to maintain the status of a neighbor are the Hello Interval and the Hold Timer.

The Hello Interval defines how frequently EIGRP routers send hello packets to their neighbors. These packets are essential for establishing and maintaining neighbor relationships, allowing routers to be aware of their peers in the network. If a router does not receive a hello packet from a neighbor within the specified time frame, it considers that neighbor down.

The Hold Timer works in conjunction with the Hello Interval. It sets the duration for which a router will wait to receive hello packets from a neighbor before it declares that neighbor as unreachable. If hello packets are not received within the hold time, the neighbor relationship is terminated. The default time for this timer is typically three times the Hello Interval, providing a buffer to ensure that temporary issues do not cause unnecessary neighbor relationship termination.

This pairing of timers enhances the robustness of EIGRP by ensuring that routers can quickly detect and respond to changes in the network topology, thus maintaining efficient routing and connectivity.