Protecting a Label Switched Path Egress Without Using Downstream Labels

A network element, comprising:

• a receiver configured to:
• receive a primary service label and a backup service label in a label switched network;
• and
• receive a data flow from an upstream node in a primary label switched path (LSP) in the network, wherein the data flow is associated with the primary service label;
• a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to:
• establish a table comprising pairs of the primary service label and the backup service label associated with the primary LSP;
• establish a single-hop bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) session with a primary egress node in the network;
• forward the data flow to the primary egress node when the BFD session indicates the primary egress node is functioning;
• associate the data flow with the backup service label when the BFD session indicates the primary egress node has failed;
• and
• forward the data flow to a backup egress node;
• and
• a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to:
• transmit the data flow to a downstream node in the network in response to a determination by the processor of a location for transmitting the data flow.

A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium such that when executed by a processor cause a network element to protect a label switched network against egress node failure by:

• receiving a primary service label and a backup service label from an upstream node in the network;
• receiving data traffic comprising the primary service label from the upstream node for transmitting to a downstream node in the network;
• determining a status of a primary egress node in the network, the primary egress node being associated with a primary label switching path (LSP);
• forwarding the data traffic according to a primary LSP when the primary egress node is operating properly;
• and
• replacing the primary service label with the backup service label and forwarding the data traffic according to a backup LSP when the primary egress node has failed.