Which part of OSPF is responsible for maintaining neighbor relationships?

The part of OSPF responsible for maintaining neighbor relationships is the Hello packets. Hello packets are critical in establishing and confirming the presence of OSPF neighbors on a network. They are sent out periodically to discover other OSPF routers on the same network segment. These packets contain information such as the router ID, the areas of the router, and various parameters that must match for two routers to form an OSPF adjacency. This is essential for the routers to start exchanging routing information and maintaining a synchronized state.

By utilizing Hello packets, OSPF can automatically manage the neighbor discovery process, facilitating the creation and maintenance of neighbor relationships crucial for an effective OSPF operation. Without Hello packets, OSPF routers would not be able to identify themselves or each other, preventing proper communication and routing information exchange.