US Patent 11178039 Electing designated forwarder

A method and device for electing a designated forwarder (DF) are provided. According to the method, NLRI sent by a second (PE) of the PEs is received, and a first election policy set supported by the second PE, and a first priority corresponding to each election policy in the first election policy set is parsed out. A target election policy is determined by using a second election policy set supported by a first PE, a second priority corresponding to each election policy in the second election policy set, the first election policy set supported by the second PE and the first priority corresponding to each election policy in the first election policy set. A DF is elected from the first PE and the second PE by using the target election policy.