Efficient link repair mechanism triggered by data traffic

Abstract

In one embodiment, an intermediate device transmits a data message away from a root device toward a receiver device in a computer network, the data message transmitted by utilizing, in reverse, a link that had been previously selected by the receiver device toward the root device. In response to detecting that the data message did not reach the receiver device, a discovery message is may be sent to one or more neighbor devices, wherein the discovery message carries an identification (ID) of the receiver device and a discovery scope indicating how many hops the discovery message is allowed to traverse to reach the receiver device, and wherein the receiver device, upon receiving the discovery message, triggers a local link repair of the link from the receiver device toward the root device.