What is the Difference Between the RIB vs FIB and Data Plane vs Control Plane

In the realm of networking, the Routing Information Base (RIB) and the Forwarding Information Base (FIB) are crucial components in the router's operation.
RIB, or the Routing Information Base, serves as a centralized repository within a router. Its primary role is to accumulate routing information derived from various sources. These sources encompass routing protocols such as OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, as well as statically configured routes.
RIB is, in essence, a comprehensive database, housing a myriad of routing entries. Each routing entry includes vital data such as the network destination, associated subnet mask, next-hop IP address, and various attributes relevant to routing decisions.
Conversely, the Forwarding Information Base, or FIB, has a more focused role within the router. Derived directly from the RIB, the FIB contains a subset of information critical to packet forwarding. FIB distills this comprehensive information into an efficient and streamlined set of next-hop entries. It represents the best path to reach each destination, ensuring optimal packet forwarding.
In the Control Plane, the RIB serves as the central repository for routing information, as mentioned earlier. The Control Plane is responsible for the maintenance and management of this comprehensive routing table. It collects and stores information about the available network paths, costs, and attributes. The Control Plane evaluates routing policies, makes route selection decisions, and updates the RIB accordingly.
In the Data Plane, the FIB plays a crucial role in packet forwarding. Derived from the RIB in the Control Plane, the FIB is a streamlined and optimized database focused on efficient data transmission. The FIB contains next-hop information for each route, ensuring the fastest and most direct path for data packets. Data Plane utilizes the FIB to make forwarding decisions, determining the output interface and encapsulation details for each packet.
Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF) is a high-performance, layer 3 IP switching technology used in Cisco routers to enhance packet switching efficiency. CEF relies on both the Routing Information Base (RIB) and the Forwarding Information Base (FIB) to optimize the forwarding of packets.
CEF leverages the RIB as its initial source of routing information. The RIB, which contains all routing entries learned from various routing protocols and configured static routes, provides the foundation for CEF.
CEF creates the Forwarding Information Base (FIB) based on the information stored in the CEF RIB. It filters out the best and most relevant routes from the RIB, discarding redundant and less optimal paths.
By relying on the precomputed CEF FIB for forwarding decisions, CEF reduces the burden on the control plane (RIB) and minimizes CPU utilization, making it more efficient in handling high traffic loads.

[@wojtekwilku474]

how the fuck do i turn rib files into readable things? im trying to do something with the manhunt sound effects

[@ZacharyRedford]

If you just want the data use the 'show route' command on the router