Which protocol is commonly used for both static and dynamic routing?

The Internet Protocol (IP) is integral to both static and dynamic routing within the realm of networking. Static routing involves manually configuring a route for data packets, which relies on the IP framework to define the paths that data should take through the network. Each route can specify a destination IP address and the next hop along that route.

Dynamic routing, on the other hand, utilizes protocols that automatically adjust routes based on network conditions and traffic. These dynamic routing protocols, such as Routing Information Protocol (RIP) and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), use IP to share and update routing information between routers, facilitating efficient data transmission across complex networks.

In contrast, the other listed protocols serve different functions. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is for assigning IP addresses dynamically to devices on a network, not for routing. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used for transferring files between computers, while Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is focused on sending and routing email. Therefore, neither of these protocols interacts with routing processes in the way that IP does.