Abstract: A controller, e.g., a software-defined network (SDN) controller, stores data representing a topology of a network that includes a plurality of network elements. A move is detected of a host between network elements in the network and a destination network element to which the host has moved is determined. The destination network element is designated as a root of a tree in the network. A topology for the tree is generated using the destination network element as the root of the tree. Following the topology of the tree, starting with the root, parent network elements in the tree are updated for a traffic flow for the host before child network elements are updated.