A method for obtaining path information related to a virtual private local area network services, VPLS, based network, said network including service aware nodes wherein a service-aware node is a node within said VPLS-based network that looks at the header of an original Ethernet frame to make forwarding decisions and has established different filter media access control, MAC, addresses for source MAC filters, wherein the path information includes the type of service-aware node, the orientation of the service-aware node relative ta other service-aware nodes, a port name, a port of entry, a port type, virtual local area network, VLAN, identifier, ID, a type of VLAN, VLAN translation information, software versions, a configuration state, a VPLS customer ID on which the trace-request frame came in, a filter information, and switch name, and the method comprising: generating, by a first trace path logic of a originating service-aware node in the VPLS layer 2, L2, trace-request frames, wherein for each of the trace request-frames a source MAC address is different and set to a trace value that is recognized by a source MAC filter at a receiving service aware node and wherein all of the L2 trace-request frames have their destination MAC address set to the same customer MAC address; forwarding, by the first trace path logic, the L2 trace-request frames in a VPLS-based network; comparing, by said source MAC filter of said receiving service-aware node in the VPLS, the source MAC addresses of the L2 trace-request frames to filter MAC addresses; generating, by a second trace path logic of the receiving service-aware node in the VPLS, trace-reply frames in response to matches between the source MAC addresses and the filter MAC addresses; collecting, by a second trace path logic, path information, and embedding, by a second trace path logic, the path information into the trace-reply frames; and sending through the VPLS-based network by said receiving service aware node said trace-reply frames to said originating service aware nodes where the path information is used to learn the paths that the trace-request frames traversed. generating, by a first trace path logic of a originating service-aware node in the VPLS layer 2, L2, trace-request frames, wherein for each of the trace request-frames a source MAC address is different and set to a trace value that is recognized by a source MAC filter at a receiving service aware node and wherein all of the L2 trace-request frames have their destination MAC address set to the same customer MAC address; forwarding, by the first trace path logic, the L2 trace-request frames in a VPLS-based network; comparing, by said source MAC filter of said receiving service-aware node in the VPLS, the source MAC addresses of the L2 trace-request frames to filter MAC addresses; generating, by a second trace path logic of the receiving service-aware node in the VPLS, trace-reply frames in response to matches between the source MAC addresses and the filter MAC addresses; collecting, by a second trace path logic, path information, and embedding, by a second trace path logic, the path information into the trace-reply frames; and sending through the VPLS-based network by said receiving service aware node said trace-reply frames to said originating service aware nodes where the path information is used to learn the paths that the trace-request frames traversed.