Patent ID: 9749223
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: H04L

Claim:
1. A method for linear path protection for a software-defined network (SDN) monitored by a central controller, comprising: provisioning, at a first network element within the SDN, a working path and a protect path routed between the first network element and a second network element within the SDN; notifying, by the first network element, the central controller with an indication of the working path and the protect path, wherein the working path and the protect path are both active, wherein the working path is selected and the protect path is de-selected; detecting, by the first network element, that the working path is inactive; responsive to the detecting that the working path is inactive and without receiving a switching command from the central controller, switching, by the first network element, the working path from selected to de-selected and the protect path from de-selected to selected; and notifying, by the first network element, the central controller that the working path is inactive and de-selected and that the protect path is selected, wherein the central controller maintains a path state associated with the working path and the protect path for the first network element and the second network element, respectively, wherein the path state specifies, for a path selected from a working path and a protect path: whether the path is active or inactive; and whether the path is selected or de-selected.