Load balancing is a standard functionality of Cisco IOS Software that is available across all router platforms. It is inherent to the forwarding process in the router, and it enables a router to use multiple paths to a destination when it forwards packets. The number of paths used is limited by the number of entries that the routing protocol puts in the routing table. Four entries is the default in Cisco IOS Software for IP routing protocols except for BGP. BGP has a default of one entry.