Patent ID: 8570859

Claim:
A method for operating a hybrid mesh network comprising a plurality of links and a plurality of nodes, the method comprising: monitoring a performance level of the plurality of links coupling together the plurality of nodes with a performance and fault management system, wherein a first subset of the plurality of links operates using a first access technology, and a second subset of the plurality of links operates using a second access technology; detecting a failing link in the first subset of the plurality of links when a link event occurs, wherein a link event occurs when a performance level of the failing link drops below a threshold; identifying traffic of a first service type and traffic of a second service type being sent over the failing link; determining a minimum set of performance characteristics for the failing link based on a predetermined criterion for the failing link with a hybrid mesh management system, wherein the predetermined criterion comprises performance characteristics inherent to the second access technology, wherein the performance characteristics inherent to the second access technology do not satisfy performance characteristics for sending the traffic of the first service type; selecting a first replacement path for the traffic of the first service type and a second replacement path for the traffic of the second service type with the hybrid mesh management system, wherein the first and second replacement paths comprise one or more links of the plurality of links having a set of performance characteristics that are at least equal to the minimum set of performance characteristics of the failing link and wherein the first replacement path does not include a link of the second subset of the plurality of links.