Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a network topology management system is provided for managing distribution of network topology information between nodes within a network that performs a distributed source routing protocol. The system includes, nodes distributed throughout a network, that are interconnected by node-to-node links, each of which is described by associated link state information. The system includes a control module that is joined to the nodes and that receives the link state information from each node. The control module records the link state information in master routing tables to form an overall topology map of the network. The control module stores predetermined policy statements that define a manner in which the link state information should be distributed between the nodes. The control module creates abridged routing tables by modifying the link state information based on the predetermined policy statements.