Restoring a flow path in response to a link failure in a software defined network (sdn)

A system for restoring a flow path for a flow in response to a link failure in a software defined network (SDN), comprising:

• a determination module to determine if there's a link failure in a primary flow path of a flow in a software defined network (SDN);
• a backup flow path module to:
• identify, in response to the determination that there's a link failure in the primary flow path of the flow, a network device configured with an alternate flow path for the flow, wherein the network device is identified by sending a message packet successively to each preceding network device on the primary flow path until the network device configured with the alternate flow path is identified;
• and
• use the alternate flow path configured in the network device to route packets of the flow.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to restore a flow path for a flow in response to a link failure in a software defined network (SDN), the instructions executable by a processor to:

• determine that there's a link failure in a primary flow path of a flow in a software defined network (SDN) and, further to the link failure, no SDN controller is available in the SDN to facilitate route packets of the flow;
• and
• in response to the determination, identify a network device configured with a backup flow path for the flow, wherein the network device is identified by sending a message packet successively to each preceding network device on the primary flow path until the network device configured with the backup flow path is identified;
• and
• use the backup flow path configured in the network device to route packets of the flow.