A process for the reliable distribution of a shortcut table for layer 3 switching is distributed from a plurality of routers to a plurality of switches includes the transmission by the router of a list of shortcut entries, which includes a list of switches which have acknowledged receipt of this list of shortcut entries. The transmission of these database messages continues until all target switches have acknowledged receipt of the database messages. The interval between transmission of database messages is short until all switches have acknowledged reception of such database messages, and thereafter the interval between transmissions is lengthened, and a hello message is sent until a new switch is added to the network, or a change in router shortcut database occurs, whereafter the transmission of database messages is resumed utilizing the interval between these transmissions is again shortened until all such messages have been acknowledged.