Updating routing tables after resource failure in a distributed computer network

Abstract

Abstract This paper is an analysis of overhead required by the MERIT routing table update algorithm after failure of a single network resource. The number of update messages sent by each node during the update process is used as the measure of update overhead. Both synchronous behavior and asynchronous behavior of the MERIT algorithm are considered. The number of messages required for synchronous update is shown to be an upper bound for the number of messages required if update occurs asynchronously. The effect of network topology on update overhead is discussed. Finally, some implementation suggestions aimed at minimizing looping of messages during routing table update are presented.