Apparatus, system, and method for providing node protection across label-switched paths that share labels

A system comprising:

• a receiving module, stored in memory at a network node, that receives a packet from another network node within the network;
• an identification module, stored in memory at the network node, that identifies, within the packet, a label stack that includes a plurality of labels that collectively represent at least a portion of a label-switched path within the network;
• a label module, stored in memory at the network node, that pops, from the label stack, a label that corresponds to a next hop of the network node included in the label-switched path;
• a determination module, stored in memory at the network node, that determines that the next hop has experienced a failure that prevents the packet from reaching a destination via the next hop;
• wherein the identification module identifies a backup path by searching a context table for at least one bypass label assigned to at least one bypass network node included in the backup path by:
• identifying, within the label stack, a subsequent label that:
• resides subsequent to the label popped from the label stack;
• and
• corresponds to a next-to-next hop included in the label-switched path;
• and
• locating, within the context table, the bypass label assigned to the bypass network node included in the backup path based at least in part on the subsequent label, wherein the backup path:
• merges with the label-switched path at the next-to-next hop included in the label-switched path;
• and
• enables the packet to bypass the failed next hop and reach the destination;
• wherein the label module applies the bypass label to the packet at the network node prior to forwarding the packet via the backup path;
• a forwarding module, stored in memory at the network node, that forwards the packet to the next-to-next hop via the backup path after the bypass label is applied to the packet;
• and
• at least one physical processor configured to execute the receiving module, the identification module, the label module, the determination module, and the forwarding module.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one storage device that stores a set of labels that correspond to portions of label-switched paths within a network;
• and
• at least one physical processing device communicatively coupled to the storage device within a network node, wherein the physical processing device:
• receives a packet from another network node within the network;
• identifies, within the packet, a label stack that includes a plurality of labels that collectively represent at least a portion of a label-switched path within the network;
• pops, from the label stack, a label that corresponds to a next hop of the network node included in the label-switched path;
• determines, based at least in part on the label, that the next hop has experienced a failure that prevents the packet from reaching a destination via the next hop;
• identifies, in response to determining that the next hop has experienced the failure, a backup path by searching a context table for at least one bypass label assigned to at least one bypass network node included in the backup path by:
• identifying, within the label stack, a subsequent label that:
• resides subsequent to the label popped from the label stack;
• and
• corresponds to a next-to-next hop included in the label-switched path;
• and
• locating, within the context table, the bypass label assigned to the bypass network node included in the backup path based at least in part on the subsequent label, wherein the backup path:
• merges with the label-switched path at the next-to-next hop included in the label-switched path;
• and
• enables the packet to bypass the failed next hop and reach the destination;
• and
• forwards the packet to the next-to-next hop via the backup path.