pros and cons

• pros
  • no limitation on the hop count
  • intelligent use of Variable Length Subnet Masks (VLSM) is very useful in IP address allocation
  • IP multicasting to send link-state updates
  • better convergence than RIP
  • allowing better load balancing
  • allowing a logical definition of networks where routers can be divided into areas
  • routing authentication
  • transfer and tagging of external routes injecting into an Autonomous System

• cons
  • very intensive processor
  • maintaining multiple copies of routing information, increasing the amount of memory needed
  • OSPF can be logically segmented by using areas
  • not as easy to learn as some other protocols
  • if an entire network is running OSPF, and one link within it is "bouncing" every few seconds, then OSPF updates would dominate the network by informing every other router every time the link changed state.

reference >>