| CPC H04L 45/48 (2013.01) [H04L 45/745 (2013.01); H04L 45/748 (2013.01); H04L 45/021 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A method for programming a network element, comprising:
detecting an update to a first route in a routing information base (RIB) and determining a first route network prefix associated with the first route;
based on the update, determining a first parent network prefix associated with the first route network prefix;
determining that a first parent network prefix and the first route network prefix are reachable using a common next hop connected to the network element;
determining if the creation of a forwarding information base (FIB) entry associated with the first network prefix can be waived by determining if there is at least one entry in the FIB associated with the common next hop or the first parent network prefix; and
based on a determination that the at least one entry in the FIB cannot be waived, creating the FIB entry associated with the first route network prefix in the FIB on the network element.
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