Method and apparatus for detecting forwarding loops

An apparatus for detecting a forwarding loop at a first network element, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
• determine whether a received message was previously received by the first network element;
• when the received message was previously received by the first network element, calculate a current routing digest, determine whether a header of the received message includes a previous routing digest, and perform one of:
• when the header of the received message includes the previous routing digest, determine whether a forwarding loop exists;
• and
• when the header of the received message does not include the previous routing digest, insert the current routing digest into the header of the received message and forward the message toward the second network element;
• and
• when the received message was not previously received by the first network element, forward the received message toward a second network element.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a software program, that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method for detecting a forwarding loop at a first network element, the method comprising:

• determining whether a received message was previously received by the first network element;
• when the received message was previously received by the first network element, calculating a current routing digest and determining whether a header of the received message includes a previous routing digest, further comprising:
• when the header of the received message includes the previous routing digest, determining whether a forwarding loop exists;
• and
• when the header of the received message does not include the previous routing digest, inserting the current routing digest into the header of the received message and forwarding the message toward the second network element;
• and
• when the received message was not previously received by the first network element, forwarding the received message toward a second network element.