Patent ID: 7864669

Claim:
A method, comprising: identifying a first inter-domain path having an end point; identifying an alternate inter-domain path having an end point; constructing an intra-domain backup tunnel from the end point of the first inter-domain path to the end point of the alternate inter-domain path; installing in a forwarding table, by a router, a first pointer to a primary route data structure, the primary route data structure indicating use of the first inter-domain path to reach an inter-domain destination; installing in the forwarding table, by the router, a second pointer to a backup route data structure, the backup route data structure indicating use of the intra-domain backup tunnel as a backup to reach the inter-domain destination primarily reachable via the first inter-domain path; and in response to a failure of first inter-domain path, utilizing the backup tunnel to forward packets to the alternate inter-domain path to reach the inter-domain destination.