Patent ID: 8516152

Claim:
A method of reducing routing path convergence time in a network performed in a network node, the method comprising: generating an ordered set of predicted future network states, wherein the ordered set of predicted future states is ordered based on a likelihood of the network transitioning to each of the respective future network states; determining the first future network state within the ordered set of predicted future network states for which routing information has not already been computed; computing predicted routing information based on the first future network state; storing the predicted routing information in association with the first future network state at the node; receiving, at the node, an indication that a current network state has changed to a new network state from an old network state; determining whether the node has access to pre-computed routing information associated with the new network state if the node has access to pre-computed routing information associated with the new network state, using the pre-computed routing information to route future network traffic; and if the node does not have access to pre-computed routing information associated with the new network state, computing new routing information and using the new routing information to route future network traffic.