Retention of a sub-network connection home path

A method, in a network element operating in a control plane enabled network, to retain a connection's home path while the connection is on an alternate path, the method comprising:

• routing, via one or more interfaces in the network element, one or more connections which originate on the network element to one or more links in the network;
• and
• for a connection of the one of more connections which is not on its associated home path, advertising a virtual connection for the connection through the control plane to reserve the associated home path.

A control plane enabled network configured to retain a connection's home path while the connection is on an alternate path, the network element comprising:

• a plurality of nodes interconnected by a plurality of links;
• wherein a control plane is configured to cause routing of one or more connections between the plurality of nodes over the plurality of links, wherein each of the one or more connections has an associated home path, and
• wherein, for a connection of the one of more connections which is not on its associated home path, the control plane is configured to advertise a virtual connection for the connection to reserve the associated home path.