Patent ID: 8750310

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a first path message at a tail-end node of a bidirectional tunnel, the first path message transmitted by a head-end node over a forward direction path of the bidirectional tunnel, the first path message including one or more objects used to set up and signal a reverse direction path of the bi-directional tunnel; examining the one or more objects of the first path message to determine whether an explicit route object (ERO) is present in the first path message; in response to the ERO being present in the first path message, signaling the reverse direction path specified by the ERO; and in response to the ERO not being present in the first path message, examining an Extended Association object of the message to determine whether an Association Type of the paths is co-routed or non co-routed; and in response to the Association Type being non co-routed, computing and signaling the reverse direction path.