Systems and methods for constructing application-aware virtual topologies in wide area networks

A method for generating an application-aware virtual topology (AAVT) routing table for a network device among network devices connected via a wide area network, the method comprising:

• receiving, from the network devices, path information of the network devices;
• generating, using the path information, an underlay graph specifying a path topology of the network device;
• obtaining application information of the network device, wherein the application information specifies a set of applications for which traffic is handled by the network device;
• generating, based on the path topology specified in the underlay graph, the AAVT routing table for the network device, wherein the AAVT routing table comprises a set of paths each associated with at least one application in the set of applications;
• and
• transmitting, in response to generating the AAVT routing table, the AAVT routing table to the network device to cause the network device to program the set of paths.

A method for transmitting network traffic between network devices connected to a wide area network, the method being executed by a network device among the network devices and comprising:

• receiving an application-aware virtual topology (AAVT) routing table from a network controller for the network device, wherein the AAVT routing table includes a set of paths obtained based on a path topology of the network devices;
• making a first determination that network traffic to be transmitted is associated with a first application among a set of applications being executed by the network device;
• making a second determination that the AAVT routing table specifies a path within the wide area network to use for transmitting the network traffic associated with the first application;
• and
• transmitting, in response to the first determination and the second determination, the network traffic associated with the first application based on the path.