A method comprising: in a distributed data center system in which a first set of leaf network devices of a first data center communicate with a second set of leaf network devices of a second data center via a single one of a first spine network device of the first data center or a second spine network device of the second data center, determining that connectivity, through a first optical path of an optical transport ring, between the first spine network device of the first data center and at least one leaf network device of the second set of leaf network devices of the second data center is disrupted, wherein the optical transport ring provides the first optical path for transporting packets from the first spine network device of the first data center to the at least one leaf network device of the second data center prior to disruption, and wherein the first optical path is unavailable after disruption; in response to the connectivity disruption, configuring one or more packet-optical transport devices of the optical transport ring to establish direct connectivity between the first spine network device and the second spine network device to reroute packets to be transmitted, via the first optical path, to the at least one leaf network device of the second data center, wherein the reroute of the packets is via a second optical path of the optical transport system from the first spine network device to the second spine network device; and communicating, by the first spine network device of the first data center, the packets to the at least one leaf network device of the second data center through the second optical path. in a distributed data center system in which a first set of leaf network devices of a first data center communicate with a second set of leaf network devices of a second data center via a single one of a first spine network device of the first data center or a second spine network device of the second data center, determining that connectivity, through a first optical path of an optical transport ring, between the first spine network device of the first data center and at least one leaf network device of the second set of leaf network devices of the second data center is disrupted, wherein the optical transport ring provides the first optical path for transporting packets from the first spine network device of the first data center to the at least one leaf network device of the second data center prior to disruption, and wherein the first optical path is unavailable after disruption; in response to the connectivity disruption, configuring one or more packet-optical transport devices of the optical transport ring to establish direct connectivity between the first spine network device and the second spine network device to reroute packets to be transmitted, via the first optical path, to the at least one leaf network device of the second data center, wherein the reroute of the packets is via a second optical path of the optical transport system from the first spine network device to the second spine network device; and communicating, by the first spine network device of the first data center, the packets to the at least one leaf network device of the second data center through the second optical path.