A method comprising: in a routing arc of a network including multiple routing arcs for loop-free routing of network traffic to a destination, each routing arc comprising nodes connected in sequence by reversible links oriented away from a node initially holding a cursor toward one of first and second edge nodes and their corresponding edges at opposite ends of the arc and through which the network traffic exits the arc, each node including a network device: detecting a first failure in the arc; and responsive to the detecting the first failure, exchanging first management frames over a data plane in the network between nodes within the arc in order to transfer the cursor from the node initially holding the cursor to a first node proximate the first failure and reverse links in the arc as appropriate so that the network traffic in the arc is directed away from the first failure toward the first edge node of the arc through which the network traffic is able to exit the arc; wherein the exchanging first management frames includes: sending a Cursor-Request management frame from the first node toward the first edge node in a direction that causes that management frame to transit the node initially holding the cursor; responsive to the Cursor-Request management frame, sending a Cursor-Grant management frame from the first edge node back to the first node; and responsive to the Cursor-Grant management frame transiting the node initially holding the cursor and next nodes thereafter including the first node: transferring the cursor from the node initially holding the cursor to the first node; and reversing links for each of the next nodes so that network traffic in the arc is thereafter directed away from the first node toward the first edge node. detecting a first failure in the arc; and responsive to the detecting the first failure, exchanging first management frames over a data plane in the network between nodes within the arc in order to transfer the cursor from the node initially holding the cursor to a first node proximate the first failure and reverse links in the arc as appropriate so that the network traffic in the arc is directed away from the first failure toward the first edge node of the arc through which the network traffic is able to exit the arc; wherein the exchanging first management frames includes: sending a Cursor-Request management frame from the first node toward the first edge node in a direction that causes that management frame to transit the node initially holding the cursor; responsive to the Cursor-Request management frame, sending a Cursor-Grant management frame from the first edge node back to the first node; and responsive to the Cursor-Grant management frame transiting the node initially holding the cursor and next nodes thereafter including the first node: transferring the cursor from the node initially holding the cursor to the first node; and reversing links for each of the next nodes so that network traffic in the arc is thereafter directed away from the first node toward the first edge node. sending a Cursor-Request management frame from the first node toward the first edge node in a direction that causes that management frame to transit the node initially holding the cursor; responsive to the Cursor-Request management frame, sending a Cursor-Grant management frame from the first edge node back to the first node; and responsive to the Cursor-Grant management frame transiting the node initially holding the cursor and next nodes thereafter including the first node: transferring the cursor from the node initially holding the cursor to the first node; and reversing links for each of the next nodes so that network traffic in the arc is thereafter directed away from the first node toward the first edge node.