A computer-implemented method of routing protection comprising: receiving, by an active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E, 460) from a remote peer device (110A, 110B), a plurality of data packets (310A-310E); sending, by the active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E, 460) to a plurality of standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E), a multicast data packet comprising combined data of the plurality of data packets (310A-310E); receiving, by the active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) from at least one of the standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E), an acknowledgment of receipt (330, 340, 350) of the multicast data packet; and in response to the receipt of the acknowledgment (330, 340, 350), sending, by the active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) to the remote peer device (110A, 110B), an acknowledgment of receipt (330, 340, 350) of the plurality of data packets (310A-310E); determining, by at least a subset of the standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E), that the active network element has failed; and in response to the failure of the active network element, configuring one of the standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) to be an active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E).; selecting the one standby network element as a new active network element to replace the active network element that has failed by election; the method being characterized by determining a subset of the plurality of standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) that are up to date; and wherein the determined subset of the standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) vote in the election; wherein determining the subset of the plurality of standby network elements that are up to date comprises sending, by each standby network element, a multicast message each to each other standby network element, the multicast message including a payload with a timestamp of the last message received by the sending standby network element from the failed active network element; wherein after receiving the last update timestamp from all other standby network elements, sending, by each standby network element, a data packet with a current timestamp in the payload, and selecting the standby network element that sends the earliest current timestamp as the new active network element. receiving, by an active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E, 460) from a remote peer device (110A, 110B), a plurality of data packets (310A-310E); sending, by the active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E, 460) to a plurality of standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E), a multicast data packet comprising combined data of the plurality of data packets (310A-310E); receiving, by the active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) from at least one of the standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E), an acknowledgment of receipt (330, 340, 350) of the multicast data packet; and in response to the receipt of the acknowledgment (330, 340, 350), sending, by the active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) to the remote peer device (110A, 110B), an acknowledgment of receipt (330, 340, 350) of the plurality of data packets (310A-310E); determining, by at least a subset of the standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E), that the active network element has failed; and in response to the failure of the active network element, configuring one of the standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) to be an active network element (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E).; selecting the one standby network element as a new active network element to replace the active network element that has failed by election; the method being characterized by determining a subset of the plurality of standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) that are up to date; and wherein the determined subset of the standby network elements (130A, 130B, 130C, 130D, 130E) vote in the election; wherein determining the subset of the plurality of standby network elements that are up to date comprises sending, by each standby network element, a multicast message each to each other standby network element, the multicast message including a payload with a timestamp of the last message received by the sending standby network element from the failed active network element; wherein after receiving the last update timestamp from all other standby network elements, sending, by each standby network element, a data packet with a current timestamp in the payload, and selecting the standby network element that sends the earliest current timestamp as the new active network element.