Patent ID: 8441919

Claim:
A method for protecting against a failure in a computer network, the method comprising: learning one or more primary Traffic-Engineering Label Switched Paths (TE- LSPs) originating from a head-end node and extending to one or more address prefixes, at a neighboring upstream node of the head-end node; receiving a request, from the head-end node, that the neighboring upstream node of the head-end node protect the one or more primary TE-LSPs originating from the head-end node and extending to the one or more address prefixes; in response to receiving the request, establishing, at the neighboring upstream node, a repair TE-LSP for each of the one or more primary TE-LSPs from the neighboring upstream node of the head-end node to a corresponding downstream neighboring node of the head-end node that is located along one of the primary TE-LSPs; detecting a failure of the head-end node at the neighboring upstream node of the head-end node; and, in response locally rerouting traffic, at the neighboring upstream node of the head-end node, destined for the one or more address prefixes via the head-end node, to a corresponding repair TE-LSP.