This attribute determines the metric usage for this RIP instance. This flag is used to determine the way metrics are incremented. RFC1058 way : Sending Update: This is to use the metric for the route from the routing table as the advertised metric to be sent for that route. Nothing is ever added to this value from the sending side. The only special case handling is that if the route being advertised is the network route of a directly connectednetwork, the metric in the routing table will be zero. Then the RipIf interface metric for the interface being advertised is used as the advertise metric. If the interface being advertised is not a Rip interface, then metric value of 1 is used. Receiving Update: Add receiving interface's RIP metric to the metric for the route in the received advertisement and install the result in the receiver's routing table as the metric for that route. Older way: Sending Updates: Add the out going interfaces rip metric to the metric for a route in the routing table to form the metric to be advertised for that route. Receiving Updates: The metric received in the advertisement for a route is put directly in the routing table as the metric for that route.

Note: It is recommended that, all the routers in this autonomous system should be following the rfc1058 metric system. Setting this flag to disabled will have the effect of running the RIP with old metric incrementing system.