Patent ID: 7593321

Claim:
A method for operating a node in a computer network, the node connected to other nodes by links, comprising: determining a path to a destination, the path including one or more links; determining at least one alternate path having at least some of its one or more links differing from the links of the path; reserving bandwidth for said at least one alternate path by sending one or more set-up request messages; enabling said at least one alternate path at one or more other nodes along said at least one alternate path, but not enabling said at least one alternate path at the node, wherein the node is a head node of said at least one alternate path; subsequent to reserving bandwidth and enabling, detecting a link failure on the path; and rerouting traffic on said at least one alternate path in case of a link failure by enabling said at least one alternate path in the node, and absent sending any additional set-up messages to the one or more other nodes along said at least one alternate path.