In a recursive static route, only the next hop is specified. The output interface is derived from the next hop. This example
shows such a definition:
ipv6 route 2001:DB8::/32 2001:DB8:3000:1
This example specifies that all destinations with address prefix 2001:DB8::/32 are reachable via the host with address 2001:DB8:3000:1.
A recursive static route is valid (that is, it is a candidate for insertion in the IPv6 routing table) only when the specified
next hop resolves, either directly or indirectly, to a valid IPv6 output interface, provided the route does not self-recurse,
and the recursion depth does not exceed the maximum IPv6 forwarding recursion depth.
A route self-recurses if it is itself used to resolve its own next hop. For example, suppose we have the following routes
in the IPv6 routing table:
IPv6 Routing Table - 9 entries
Codes: C - Connected, L - Local, S - Static, R - RIP, B - BGP
U - Per-user Static route
I1 - ISIS L1, I2 - ISIS L2, IA - ISIS interarea
O - OSPF intra, OI - OSPF inter, OE1 - OSPF ext 1, OE2 - OSPF ext 2
R 2001:DB8::/32 [130/0]
via ::, Serial2/0
B 2001:DB8:3000:0/16 [200/45]
Via 2001:DB8::0104
The following examples defines a recursive IPv6 static route:
ipv6 route
2001:DB8::/32 2001:0BD8:3000:1
This static route will not be inserted into the IPv6 routing table because it is self-recursive. The next hop of the static
route, 2001:DB8:3000:1, resolves via the BGP route 2001:DB8:3000:0/16, which is itself a recursive route (that is, it only
specifies a next hop). The next hop of the BGP route, 2001:DB8::0104, resolves via the static route. Therefore, the static
route would be used to resolve its own next hop.
It is not normally useful to manually configure a self-recursive static route, although it is not prohibited. However, a recursive
static route that has been inserted in the IPv6 routing table may become self-recursive as a result of some transient change
in the network learned through a dynamic routing protocol. If this occurs, the fact that the static route has become self-recursive
will be detected and it will be removed from the IPv6 routing table, although not from the configuration. A subsequent network
change may cause the static route to no longer be self-recursive, in which case it will be reinserted in the IPv6 routing
table.