Route flapping

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In computer networking and telecommunications, route flapping occurs when a router alternately advertises a destination network via one route then another (or as unavailable, and then available again) in quick sequence.

Route flapping is caused by pathological conditions (hardware errors, software errors, configuration errors, unreliable connections, etc.) within the network which cause certain reachability information to be repeatedly advertised and withdrawn.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.

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