A computer-implemented method of routing protection is provided comprising: receiving, by one or more processors of an active network element from a remote peer device, a plurality of data packets; sending, by the one or more processors of the active network element to a plurality of standby network elements, a multicast data packet comprising combined data of the plurality of data packets; receiving, by the one or more processors of the active network element from at least one of the standby network elements, an acknowledgment of receipt of the multicast data packet; and in response to the receipt of the acknowledgment, sending, by the one or more processors of the active network element to the remote peer device, an acknowledgment of receipt of the plurality of data packets.