Loop Detection and Prevention in Multi-Protocol Routing Environment

A provider edge (PE) router, configured for detecting and preventing routing loops in a network with a multi-protocol routing environment, the PE router comprising circuitry configured to:

• define a unique loop detection route that is either unused as a route in the network or has a prefix that is non-overlapping with any other route in a network,
• redistribute a set of routes, including the unique loop detection route, into another routing protocol,
• receive, from a customer edge (CE) router, at least one route that was previously redistributed into a third routing protocol, and
• identify, upon a match of the unique loop detection route with the at least one route, that a routing loop condition exists due to a loss of the loop prevention metadata in the third routing protocol.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for detecting and preventing routing loops in a network with a multi-protocol routing environment, the instructions, when executed by a provider edge (PE) router, cause the PE router to perform steps of:

• defining a unique loop detection route that is either unused as a route in the network or has a prefix that is non-overlapping with any other route in a network;
• redistributing a set of routes, including the unique loop detection route, into another routing protocol;
• receiving, from a customer edge (CE) router, at least one route that was previously redistributed into a third routing protocol;
• and
• identifying, upon a match of the unique loop detection route with the at least one route, that a routing loop condition exists due to a loss of the loop prevention metadata in the third routing protocol.