Route flapping

In computer networking and telecommunications, a flapping router is a router that transmits routing updates alternately advertising a destination network first via one route, then via a different route; this behavior is called route flapping.

Route flapping is caused by pathological conditions (hardware errors, software errors, configuration errors,unreliable connections, etc.) within the Internet that cause certain reachability information to be repeatedly advertised and withdrawn. The most common causes of route flapping are configuration errors and intermittent errors in communications links. Route flapping often forces a router to recalculate a new or preferred route to a particular network, while traffic destined for that network is in transit through the router.

See also

• BGP route damping