Patent ID: 8923112

Claim:
A method for controlling forwarding of data in a computer network, wherein the network comprises a set of nodes for forwarding data, wherein a first node is associated with a primary tree and a plurality of backup trees, wherein the primary tree defines a default path for the first node to forward data to a second node and the backup trees define other paths for the first node to forward data to the second node in case of a failure of the primary tree, wherein each of the plurality of backup trees is grouped into a backup-tree set with one or more other trees used respectively by one or more other nodes of the network as backup trees for forwarding data, the method comprising the first node: transmitting one or more continuity check messages on the primary tree and the backup trees; detecting occurrence of a failure of the primary tree upon receiving a failure signal transmitted from the second node, wherein the failure signal indicates a failure status of the primary tree; obtaining priority information of the backup-tree sets; switching, in response to detection of the failure of the primary tree, the forwarding of data to the second node from the primary tree to a first backup tree comprised within a backup-tree set comprising trees that are all usable by their respective nodes to simultaneously avoid the failure, wherein the switching the forwarding of data to the second node from the primary tree to a first backup tree comprises switching the forwarding of data to the second node from the primary tree to a first backup tree based on the priority information.