This read-create INTEGER, e1(1) or e2(2), sets the type of external metric used when advertising these redistributed routes into OSPF; Type 1 external metrics are comparable to internal OSPF link-state costs, while Type 2 metrics are an order of magnitude larger and always considered greater than any internal AS path cost. An admin chooses e2(2) when routing between autonomous systems should dominate the cost calculation, or e1(1) when the redistributed route's own internal-equivalent cost should be factored in alongside OSPF's internal costs. Setting ospfRedistributeMetricType to e2(2) treats the redistributed route's cost as fixed and always worse than any purely-internal OSPF path, simplifying route preference decisions.