Efficient routing in software defined networks

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor for providing efficient routing in software defined networks, the machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to:

• determine a plurality of route trees for each source and destination end-point device pair in a software defined network;
• receive a notification of a failure in a first route tree of the plurality of route trees from a networking device, wherein the networking device comprises a first group entry that is associated with the first route tree;
• identify a second route tree of the plurality of route trees that does not include the failure;
• and
• update a first group entry in an indirect group table of the networking device to be associated with the second route tree, wherein the indirect group table affects a plurality of forwarding table entries associated with the first group entry, wherein the computing device performs a data transmission using the second route tree.

A networking device for providing efficient routing in software defined networks, comprising:

• a memory comprising an indirect group table with a first group entry that is associated with a first route tree of a plurality of route trees in a software defined network, wherein the indirect group table affects a plurality of forwarding table entries associated with the first group entry, and wherein the plurality of route trees is configured to minimize overlap between each of the plurality of route trees;
• a processor operatively connected to the memory, the processor to:
• detect a failure in the first route tree during a data transmission;
• send a notification of the failure to a remote controller device, wherein the remote controller device identifies a second route tree of the plurality of route trees that does not include the failure;
• and
• after the remote controller device updates the first group entry to be associated with the second route tree, perform the data transmission using the second route tree.