Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC)

A Forwarding Equivalence Class (FEC) is a group of data packets that share the same destination and can be routed through the network using the same path. Think of it as categorizing similar packets so that network devices can handle them efficiently. Instead of examining each packet individually, the network treats all packets in the same FEC the same way, forwarding them along a designated route. This simplification speeds up the routing process, reduces processing overhead, and ensures consistent delivery for packets meant for the same destination.