Indicating a master network controller in a virtual router redundancy protocol

A network device comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor executing instructions stored in the memory to:
• dynamically determine a bake-off time that distinguishes between a transient unavailability and a persistent downtime of a master network controller;
• refrain from sending packets to a network during the bake-off time;
• in response to the bake-off time being expired or a first packet being received from the network, start a virtual router redundancy protocol (VRRP) state machine;
• and
• subsequent to determining both that a spanning tree protocol (STP) convergence has completed and that the VRRP state machine has started, transmit a first broadcast message to the network indicating that the network device acts as the master network controller in the network.

A method comprising:

• dynamically selecting, by a network device, a bake-off time that distinguishes between a transient unavailability and a persistent downtime of a master network controller;
• refraining from sending packets, by the network device, to a network during the bake-off time;
• determining, by the network device, whether a first packet is received from the network;
• determining, by the network device, that a spanning tree protocol (STP) convergence has completed;
• starting, by the network device, a virtual router redundancy protocol (VRRP) state machine;
• and
• transmitting, by the network device, a first broadcast message to the network indicating that the first network device acts as the master network controller in the network.