Which variables are used to configure static routes to forward traffic?

In the context of configuring static routes for traffic forwarding, interfaces are essential variables. An interface serves as the point of connection through which a device communicates on a network. When setting up a static route, configuring the correct interface is critical because it defines where the outgoing traffic will be sent and which part of the network or which device will be the next hop toward reaching the destination.

Static routes require the specification of the correct interface to ensure that the device uses the right path based on the predetermined network layout. This allows for precise control over the routing of packets, directing them through specific pathways rather than relying on dynamic routing protocols that would automatically determine the route.

Gateways, while also important in routing, refer more to the next-hop IP address or the device that the traffic will route through, but the interface is what actually carries that traffic out of the local machine. Protocols are involved in dynamic routing and may influence how routes are learned and maintained but do not apply to the static nature of the routes being configured. Endpoints represent the source or destination of traffic rather than the pathway it takes through the network.