Service and topology exchange protocol having client-driven active-active repositories with high availability

A method comprising:

• creating, by one or more processors of a network device, a first service and topology exchange protocol (STEP) document, the first STEP document comprising service information and topology information;
• sending, by the one or more processors of the network device, the first STEP document to a first STEP repository device for forwarding to at least one subscribing network device, the STEP repository device being separate from the network device;
• and
• sending, by the one or more processors of the device, the first STEP document to a second STEP repository device for forwarding to the at least one subscribing network device, the second STEP repository device being separate from the network device and being separate from the first STEP repository device.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed, cause one or more processors of a network device to:

• create a first service and topology exchange protocol (STEP) document, the first STEP document comprising service information and topology information;
• send the first STEP document to a first STEP repository device for forwarding to at least one subscribing network device, the STEP repository device being separate from the network device;
• and
• send the first STEP document to a second STEP repository device for forwarding to the at least one subscribing network device, the second STEP repository device being separate from the network device and being separate from the first STEP repository device.