Changing the configuration of a router SHOULD have minimal
affect on the network. Routing tables SHOULD NOT be
unnecessarily flushed when a simple change is made to the
router. If a router is running several routing protocols,
stopping one routing protocol SHOULD NOT disrupt other routing
protocols, except in the case where one network is learned by
more than one routing protocol. It is the goal of a network
manager to run a network so that users of the network get the
best connectivity possible. Reloading a router for simple
configuration changes can cause disruptions in routing and
ultimately cause disruptions to the network and its users. If
routing tables are unnecessarily flushed, for instance, the
default route will be lost as well as specific routes to sites
within the network. This sort of disruption will cause
significant downtime for the users. It is the purpose of this
section to point out that whenever possible, these disruptions
should be avoided.