Optimizations for PE-CE protocol session handling in a multi-homed topology

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of ports at which network communications are received and from which the network communications are sent;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is operative to:
• establish a control session for a customer edge (CE) device multi-homed to the apparatus and at least one provider edge (PE) network device, wherein the apparatus is an owner of the control session;
• signal to the at least one PE network device, an ownership message indicating that the apparatus is the owner of the control session, wherein the ownership message includes parameters that enable the at least one PE network device to install in a forwarding table a redirect policy to instruct the at least one PE network device to forward control packets of the control session to the apparatus;
• responsive to a failure in a direct link between the apparatus and the CE device, maintain the apparatus as the owner of the control session, enabling the control session to be persistent in a designated forwarder selection process performed by the apparatus and the at least one PE network device;
• and
• receive the control packets of the control session from the at least one PE network device.

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• at a first provider edge (PE) network device among a plurality of PE network devices, establish a control session for a customer edge (CE) device multi-homed to the first PE network device and at least one second provider edge (PE) network device of the plurality of PE network devices, wherein the first PE network device is an owner of the control session;
• signal, to the at least one second PE network device, an ownership message indicating that the first PE network device is the owner of the control session, wherein the ownership message includes parameters that enable the at least one second PE network device to install in a forwarding table a redirect policy to instruct the at least one second PE network device to forward control packets of the control session to the first PE network device;
• responsive to a failure in a direct link between the first PE network device and the CE device, maintain the first PE network device as the owner of the control session, enabling the control session to be persistent in a designated forwarder selection process performed by the first PE network device and the at least one second PE network device;
• and
• receive the control packets of the control session from the at least one second PE network device.