Patent ID: 7656819

Claim:
A machine-implemented method of improving convergence in networks comprising the steps of: receiving a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) UPDATE message that includes a first route originator attribute explicitly identifying, using an Exterior Border Gateway Protocol Identifer (EBGP ID), a node that originated an announcement of network layer reachability information (NLRI), wherein the first route originator attribute additionally includes one or more path identifier values, wherein the one or more path identifier values each identifies a path to the node that originated network layer reachability information; receiving a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) WITHDRAW message that includes a second route originator attribute explicitly identifying, using the EBGP ID, the node, which originated a withdrawal of the network layer reachability information, wherein the second route originator attribute additionally includes the one or more path identifier values that were included in the first route originator attribute; removing the network layer reachability information from a local BGP route information base; electronically matching the one or more path identifier values from the second route originator attribute to one or more route originator attribute path identifier values stored in the route information base to result in identifying one or more matching paths; electronically marking the one or more matching paths as ineligible for consideration in a best path determination.