Network device configured to generate empty route for limiting number of withdrawal messages

A method comprising:

• originating in a first network device an actual route by sending a multicast join message to a particular next-hop network device;
• and
• in conjunction with originating the actual route by sending the multicast join message to the next-hop network device, generating an empty route associated with the next-hop network device;
• wherein the empty route is configured to limit a number of withdrawal messages that would otherwise result upon a failure in the actual route;
• wherein the actual route originated by sending the multicast join message to the next-hop network device is specified by a route distinguisher and at least one of a multicast source identifier and a multicast group identifier;
• wherein the empty route generated to limit the number of withdrawal messages is specified by a route distinguisher but does not include a multicast source identifier and does not include a multicast group identifier;
• and
• wherein the empty route is further specified by network layer reachability information (NLRI) that includes the route distinguisher of the empty route but does not incorporate any actual join or prune information.

An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having embodied therein executable program code that when executed by a processor of the first network device causes the first network device:

• to originate an actual route by sending a multicast join message to a particular next-hop network device;
• and
• in conjunction with originating the actual route by sending the multicast join message to the next-hop network device, to generate an empty route associated with the next-hop network device;
• wherein the empty route is configured to limit a number of withdrawal messages that would otherwise result upon a failure in the actual route;
• wherein the actual route originated by sending the multicast join message to the next-hop network device is specified by a route distinguisher and at least one of a multicast source identifier and a multicast group identifier;
• wherein the empty route generated to limit the number of withdrawal messages is specified by a route distinguisher but does not include a multicast source identifier and does not include a multicast group identifier;
• and
• wherein the empty route is further specified by network layer reachability information (NLRI) that includes the route distinguisher of the empty route but does not incorporate any actual join or prune information.