Method and apparatus for facilitating instant failover during packet routing

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating instant failover during data packet routing by employing a flooding protocol to send data packets between a source and a destination, the method comprising:

• receiving a data packet at an intermediate node located between the source and the destination, wherein the data packet is enroute from the source to the destination;
• wherein the data packet is received from a first neighboring node;
• determining whether the data packet has been seen before at the intermediate node, wherein determining whether the data packet has been seen before involves examining a sequence number. SR, contained within the data packet to determine whether the sequence number has been seen before, and wherein determining whether the data packet has been seen before involves examining a record, R. indicating the N possible sequence numbers preceding a highest received sequence number. SH, that have been seen before;
• and
• if the data packet has not been seen before, forwarding the data packet to neighboring nodes of the intermediate node.

The computer-readable storage medium of claim wherein the sequence number includes one of:

• a sequence number inserted into a payload of the data packet;
• a sequence number located within an Internet Protocol (IP) header of the data packet;
• and
• a sequence number located within a layer header of the data packet.

The computer-readable storage medium of claim wherein determining whether the data packet has been seen before involves:

• looking up a highest received sequence number, SH;
• if SR >SH,
• overwriting SH with SR,
• updating a record, R, indicating which of N possible sequence numbers preceding SH have been seen before, and
• forwarding the data packet to the neighboring nodes;
• if SH-N>SR, discarding the data packet;
• and
• if SH SR SH-N,then
• if R indicates that SR has been seen before, discarding the data packet, and
• if R indicates the data packet has not been seen before, updating R to indicate that SR has been seen, and
• forwarding the data packet to the neighboring nodes.

An apparatus that facilitates instant failover during data packet routing by employing a flooding protocol to send data packets between a source and a destination, the apparatus comprising:

• a receiving mechanism that is configured to receive a data packet at an intermediate node located between the source and the destination, wherein the data packet is enroute from the source to the destination;
• wherein the data packet is received from a first neighboring node;
• a determination mechanism that is configured to determine whether the data packet has been seen before at the intermediate node, wherein determining
• whether the data racket has been seen before involves examining a sequence number SR, contained within the data packet to determine whether the sequence number has been seen before, and wherein determining whether the data packet has been seen before involves examining a record, R, indicating the N possible sequence numbers preceding a highest received sequence number, SH, that have been seen before;
• and
• a forwarding mechanism that is configured to forward the data packet to neighboring nodes of the intermediate node if the data packet has not been seen before.