A method for scaling Traffic Engineering, TE, routing in a network, comprising a plurality of network elements, nodes, connected in a given layer to each other via links, the method comprising: collapsing at least one contiguous TE domain segment, TE-SEG, of a TE domain of said network into at least one virtual TE node, VN, having an allocated TE domain unique identifier, VNID, and the virtual TE nodes, VN, each having a detailed connectivity matrix, DCM, to provide a hierarchically virtualized network topology of said network, the detailed connectivity matrix, DCM, comprising at least a detailed connectivity matrix entry, DCME, or a detailed connectivity matrix entry cost vector, DCME CV, whereing the method further comprises: selecting the TE domain segment, TE-SEG, by a network operator as an arbitrary contiguous part of the TE domain, and collapsing the TE domain segment into at least one virtual TE node, VN, representing the selected TE domain segment, TE-SEG, within said TE domain as one or more independent and/or interconnected virtual TE nodes, VNs, which are connected by virtual TE links, VLs, wherein the virtual TE node, VN, collapsing is performed in a hierarchical way, wherein the contiguous TE domain segment, TE-SEG is collapsed into a virtual TE node, VN, and then the TE domain into which the virtual TE node, VN, is advertised is collapsed into another virtual TE node, VN, and is achieved by reconfiguring the TE links, comprising: connecting the selected TE domain segment, TE-SEG, with the rest of the TE domain, forming VN access links, ALs, to advertise the allocated TE domain unique identifier, VNID, as a local TE node ID, and forming all of the TE domain segment TE links to be advertised into a separate TE domain being distinct from each other and from an external TE domain, and forming VN internal TE links, ILs, via assigning a new instance of an IGP-TE protocol being distinct from the one assigned to the access TE links, ALs, such that the AL advertisements flooded across the TE domain represent said TE domain segment, TE-SEG, to the remaining part of the TE domain as at least one virtual TE node, while the IL advertisements are contained within the respective VN(s) and are not leaked into said TE domain. at least one contiguous TE domain segment, TE-SEG, of a TE domain of said network into at least one virtual TE node, VN, having an allocated TE domain unique identifier, VNID, and the virtual TE nodes, VN, each having a detailed connectivity matrix, DCM, to provide a hierarchically virtualized network topology of said network, the detailed connectivity matrix, DCM, comprising at least a detailed connectivity matrix entry, DCME, or a detailed connectivity matrix entry cost vector, DCME CV, whereing the method further comprises: selecting the TE domain segment, TE-SEG, by a network operator as an arbitrary contiguous part of the TE domain, and collapsing the TE domain segment into at least one virtual TE node, VN, representing the selected TE domain segment, TE-SEG, within said TE domain as one or more independent and/or interconnected virtual TE nodes, VNs, which are connected by virtual TE links, VLs, wherein the virtual TE node, VN, collapsing is performed in a hierarchical way, wherein the contiguous TE domain segment, TE-SEG is collapsed into a virtual TE node, VN, and then the TE domain into which the virtual TE node, VN, is advertised is collapsed into another virtual TE node, VN, and is achieved by reconfiguring the TE links, comprising: connecting the selected TE domain segment, TE-SEG, with the rest of the TE domain, forming VN access links, ALs, to advertise the allocated TE domain unique identifier, VNID, as a local TE node ID, and forming all of the TE domain segment TE links to be advertised into a separate TE domain being distinct from each other and from an external TE domain, and forming VN internal TE links, ILs, via assigning a new instance of an IGP-TE protocol being distinct from the one assigned to the access TE links, ALs, such that the AL advertisements flooded across the TE domain represent said TE domain segment, TE-SEG, to the remaining part of the TE domain as at least one virtual TE node, while the IL advertisements are contained within the respective VN(s) and are not leaked into said TE domain.