1. A method for creating a directed acylic graph by a network node of a network, the method including: storing adjacent node entries identifying links to other network nodes in the network, each adjacent node entry identifying: first and second adjacent nodes of the network, the link connecting the corresponding first and second adjacent nodes, and a corresponding cost of the link, at least one of the adjacent node entries identifying the network node and a next-hop node that is adjacent to the network node; adding, to a candidate path data structure, a first candidate path entry for each next-hop node and that specifies a first path to the corresponding next-hop node via the corresponding link at the corresponding cost, and orienting a link orientation of the corresponding link toward the network node, selectively adding, for each next-hop node, a second candidate path entry to the candidate path data structure, for each secondary adjacent node that is adjacent to the corresponding one next-hop node, based on a determined absence of orientation of the corresponding link between the corresponding secondary adjacent node and the corresponding one next-hop node, the second candidate path entry specifying a corresponding extended path that extends the corresponding first path of the corresponding one next-hop node based on: (1) adding the link and cost of the corresponding adjacent node entry specifying the secondary adjacent node and the corresponding one next-hop node with the respective link and cost of the corresponding first candidate entry, and (2) orienting the link connecting the secondary adjacent node and the corresponding one next-hop node toward the corresponding one next-hop node; and distributing the directed acyclic graph to the other network nodes for transmission of packets to the network node, the directed acyclic graph identifying every one of the other nodes based on the first paths, the extended paths, and the oriented links.