A method, comprising: detecting, by a first network device, a link down event associated with a second network device, wherein the link down event is detected by the first network device prior to being detected by a third network device, wherein the first network device, the second network device, and the third network device are associated with a network, and wherein the second network device is a designated network device of the network having adjacencies with all other network devices of the network; starting, by the first network device, a delay timer before processing the link down event; detecting, by the first network device, an event, wherein the event includes at least one of: receipt, from the third network device, of a link state advertisement message based on the link down event, or an expiration of the delay timer; determining, by the first network device, the first network device to be a new designated network device for the network based on detecting the event; providing, by the first network device and to the third network device, information indicating that the first network device is the new designated network device for the network; characterized by further detecting a link up event associated with the second network device after determining the first network device to be the new designated network device for the network; determining the second network device to be a backup designated network device for the network based on detecting the link up event; and establishing (175, 180) adjacency with the second network device based on determining the second network device to be the backup designated network device for the network. detecting, by a first network device, a link down event associated with a second network device, wherein the link down event is detected by the first network device prior to being detected by a third network device, wherein the first network device, the second network device, and the third network device are associated with a network, and wherein the second network device is a designated network device of the network having adjacencies with all other network devices of the network; wherein the link down event is detected by the first network device prior to being detected by a third network device, wherein the first network device, the second network device, and the third network device are associated with a network, and wherein the second network device is a designated network device of the network having adjacencies with all other network devices of the network; starting, by the first network device, a delay timer before processing the link down event; detecting, by the first network device, an event, wherein the event includes at least one of: receipt, from the third network device, of a link state advertisement message based on the link down event, or an expiration of the delay timer; receipt, from the third network device, of a link state advertisement message based on the link down event, or an expiration of the delay timer; determining, by the first network device, the first network device to be a new designated network device for the network based on detecting the event; providing, by the first network device and to the third network device, information indicating that the first network device is the new designated network device for the network; characterized by further detecting a link up event associated with the second network device after determining the first network device to be the new designated network device for the network; determining the second network device to be a backup designated network device for the network based on detecting the link up event; and establishing (175, 180) adjacency with the second network device based on determining the second network device to be the backup designated network device for the network.