Multipath policy routing using destination based hop-by-hop forwarding

Algebra has made the tasks of defining routing algorithms and proving their correct operation very clear. However, current results in the modelling of multipath policy routing protocols only prove correct behaviour for models that exhibit a strict decrease in the preference of a path with every added link. This is very rigid for multipath routing. For instance it does not allow a link attribute to dominate the entire path classification or having equivalent paths with similar policy but a different number of links. This paper starts by defining the fundamental sufficient conditions for the correct operation of a multipath policy routing protocol with independent destination based hop-by-hop forwarding. We then study the sufficient properties that the protocol model should exhibit so that those conditions are met. We prove that correct operation is possible without the strict increase in preference, provided that the policies applied to links forming circuits in the network graph are restricted. We derive two conditions on the policies applied in the circuits of a network graph that assure correct behaviour and can serve as a tool in the design process.