Arrangement for preventing count-to-infinity in flooding distance vector routing protocols

A router comprising:

• means for generating a router advertisement message according to a flooding distance vector routing protocol, the router advertisement message including reachability information specifying at least one reachable destination and a corresponding cost for reaching the at least one reachable destination, a source router identifier identifying the router as having generated and output the reachability information, and an originating router identifier indicating a router having originated the reachability information independent of any other reachability information;
• and
• means for outputting the router advertisement message to adjacent routers according to the flooding distance vector routing protocol.

A router comprising:

• means for receiving a router advertisement message that includes reachability information specifying at least one reachable destination and a corresponding first cost, a source router identifier identifying a router having generated and output the reachability information, and an originating router identifier indicating a router having originated the reachability information independent of any other reachability information;
• means for determining for said at least one reachable destination a corresponding second cost for reaching the reachable destination by the router, based on the corresponding first cost, the means for determining configured for generating a second router advertisement message, based on the router advertisement message, that includes second reachability information specifying said at least one reachable destination and the corresponding second cost, a second source router identifier identifying the router as having generated and output the second reachability information, and the originating router identifier;
• the means for receiving further configured for outputting the router advertisement message and the second router advertisement message to an adjacent router according to a flooding distance vector routing protocol.

A network having a plurality of routers, each router configured for:

• generating a router advertisement message according to a flooding distance vector routing protocol, the router advertisement message including reachability information specifying at least one reachable destination and a corresponding cost for reaching the at least one reachable destination, a source router identifier identifying the router as having generated and output the reachability information, and an originating router identifier indicating a router having originated the reachability information independent of any other reachability information;
• and
• outputting the router advertisement message to adjacent routers according to the flooding distance vector routing protocol.

A network having a plurality of routers, each router comprising:

• means for generating a router advertisement message according to a flooding distance vector routing protocol, the router advertisement message including reachability information specifying at least one reachable destination and a corresponding cost for reaching the at least one reachable destination, a source router identifier identifying the router as having generated and output the reachability information, and an originating router identifier indicating a router having originated the reachability information independent of any other reachability information;
• and
• means for outputting the router advertisement message to adjacent routers according to the flooding distance vector routing protocol.

An apparatus comprising:

• a router advertisement circuit configured for generating a router advertisement message according to a flooding distance vector routing protocol, the router advertisement message including reachability information specifying at least one reachable destination and a corresponding cost for reaching the at least one reachable destination, a source router identifier identifying the apparatus as having generated and output the reachability information, and an originating router identifier indicating a router having originated the reachability information independent of any other reachability information;
• and
• an Internet Protocol (IP) network interface circuit configured for outputting the router advertisement message to adjacent routers according to the flooding distance vector protocol.