Distributing information in communication networks

A method for distributing information, the method comprising, by a network node:

• receiving, via data plane messaging, a message from another network node which is non-adjacent with the network node, the message carried as user data and encapsulating a control plane flooding message, the control plane flooding message indicating a link state change for a communication link which is local to the another network node, the message relayed to the network node via one or more intermediate network nodes, without the message directly causing the one or more intermediate network nodes to initiate flooding operations;
• and
• upon receipt of the message, initiating a flooding operation in which further messages are propagated, via control plane messaging, outward from the network node to second network nodes which are local to the network node in a communication network, and thereafter to further network nodes in a hop-by-hop manner, the further messages indicating the local link state change, each of the one or more intermediate network nodes participating in the flooding operation or another flooding operation indicative of the link state change, all network nodes including the network node, the one or more intermediate network nodes and the second network nodes eventually receive and register the local link state change via either the control plane messaging or the data plane messaging, the all network nodes and the other network node handle said control plane messaging in a same first manner including propagating first messages to all adjacent nodes which have not previously received the first messages, and the all network nodes and the other network node handle said data plane messaging in a same second manner.

An apparatus, the apparatus comprising a network interface and processing electronics, and configured to:

• upon detection of a local link state change:
• initiate a flooding operation in which first messages are propagated, via control plane messaging and the network interface, outward from the apparatus to second network nodes which are local to the apparatus in a communication network, and thereafter to further network nodes in a hop-by-hop manner, the first messages indicating the local link state change;
• and
• transmit, via data plane messaging and the network interface, a second message to a third network node which is non-adjacent with from the apparatus, the second message carried as user data and encapsulating a control plane flooding message and the second message configured to cause the third network node to initiate a second flooding operation in which third messages are propagated, via control plane messaging, outward from the third network node to fourth network nodes which are local to the third network node, and thereafter to additional further network nodes in a hop-by-hop manner, the third messages indicating the local link state change, said third messages being based on the encapsulated control plane flooding message, the second message relayed to the third network node via one or more intermediate network nodes, without the second message directly causing the one or more intermediate network nodes to initiate flooding operations, wherein each of the one or more intermediate network nodes participates in the flooding operation, the second flooding operation, or another flooding operation indicating the local link state change, all network nodes including the second network node, the third network node, the fourth network nodes, the further network nodes and the additional further network nodes and the one or more intermediate nodes eventually receive and register the local link state change via either the control plane messaging or the data plane messaging, the all network nodes and the apparatus handle said control plane messaging in a same first manner including propagating first messages to all adjacent network nodes which have not previously received the first messages, and the all network nodes and the apparatus handle said data plane messaging in a same second manner.

An apparatus in a first network node, the apparatus comprising a network interface and processing electronics, and configured to:

• receive, via data plane messaging, a message from another network node which is non-adjacent with the network node, the message carried as user data and encapsulating a control plane flooding message, the control plane flooding message indicating a link state change for a communication link which is local to the another network node, the message relayed to the network node via one or more intermediate network nodes, without the message directly causing the one or more intermediate network nodes to initiate flooding operations;
• and
• upon receipt of the message, initiate a flooding operation in which further messages are propagated, via control plane messaging, outward from the network node to second network nodes which are local to the network node in a communication network, and thereafter to further network nodes in a hop-by-hop manner, the further messages indicating the local link state change, each of the one or more intermediate network nodes participating in the flooding operation or another flooding operation indicative of the link state change, all network nodes including the network node, the one or more intermediate network nodes and the second network nodes eventually receive and register the local link state change via either the control plane messaging or the data plane messaging, the all network nodes and the other network node handle said control plane messaging in a same first manner including propagating first messages to all adjacent nodes which have not previously received the first messages, and the all network nodes and the other network node handle said data plane messaging in a same second manner.