Patent ID: 8014275

Claim:
A method comprising: automatically polling each of a plurality of provider edge routers with bidirectional forwarding detection protocol messages from a central routing device of a plurality of central routing devices, each of the plurality of provider edge routers without ability to communicate via interior gateway protocol, wherein the plurality of central routing devices communicate using the interior gateway protocol to disseminate routing information among the plurality of central routing devices; automatically determining a suspected failure of a provider edge router of the plurality of provider edge routers; and automatically transmitting a report to each of the plurality of provider edge routers from the central routing device, the report indicative of the suspected failure of the provider edge router, each of the plurality of routers capable of changing a route of at least one forwarded packet responsive to the report; wherein each of the plurality of provider edge routers automatically determines that the provider edge router has failed responsive to a receipt of signals from a majority of the plurality of central routing devices of the suspected failure of the provider edge router.