Patent ID: 9686188
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: H04L

Claim:
1. A method of realigning a node in a label switched network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising: periodically maintaining backup status information for the node; in response to restarting of the node, re-establishing label switched paths with the plurality of nodes using the backup status information; and communicating with an adjacent node in order to establish a cumulative path reliability value for a path recorded in the backup status information using a reliability value, wherein the node sends a restart update message with the reliability value along the path and wherein a respective node of the plurality of nodes along the path modifies the reliability value when the path is recorded in the respective node's backup status information, in which the cumulative path reliability value is obtained for the path based on a number of nodes modifying the reliability value, wherein when the cumulative path reliability value reaches a path reliability threshold value, the path is deemed reliable in order to establish node realignment, and when the cumulative path reliability value does not reach the path reliability threshold value, comparing base on a number of hops in the path and a number of nodes along the path which do not have the path recorded in their backup status information to the cumulative path reliability value to determine if the path is to be deleted.