All areas in an OSPF network must connect directly to the backbone area. There are situations when a new area is added and it is not possible to provide that new area with direct access to the backbone. To solve this problem, you can create a virtual link to provide connectivity to the backbone area. A virtual link provides a disconnected area a logical path to the backbone. The areas across which the virtual link is formed must have full routing information; therefore, it cannot be a stub area.