Computing label-switched data communication paths

A method for computing label-switched data communication paths, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a path computation element (PCE) implemented on at least one processor, synchronization status information for a plurality of routing nodes in a label-switched network;
• receiving, by the PCE, a request for a label-switched path (LSP) from a client;
• determining, by the PCE, a responsive LSP based at least in part on the synchronization status information;
• and
• sending, by the PCE, an explicit route object (ERO) for the responsive LSP to the client.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor of a computer control the computer to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by a path computation element (PCE) implemented on the at least one processor, synchronization status information for a plurality of routing nodes in a label-switched network;
• receiving, by the PCE, a request for a label-switched path (LSP) from a client;
• determining, by the PCE, a responsive LSP based at least in part on the synchronization status information;
• and
• sending, by the PCE, an explicit route object (ERO) for the responsive LSP to the client.

A system for validating label-switched data communication paths, the system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) emulator, implemented on the at least one processor, and configured for emulating an MPLS element in a label-switched network and for:
• receiving, from a path computation element (PCE) for the label- switching network, a segment routing (SR) explicit route object (ERO) for a label-switched path (LSP) determined by the PCE using synchronization status information for a plurality of routing nodes in the label-switched network;
• sending an MPLS echo request to a plurality of downstream routing nodes specified by the SR ERO;
• receiving a respective MPLS echo reply from each of the downstream routing nodes;
• and
• validating the LSP using the MPLS echo replies using sent and received timestamps and, in response to validating the LSP, transitioning the LSP state from down to up.

A method for validating label-switched data communication paths, the method comprising:

• at a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) emulator, implemented on the at least one processor, and configured for emulating an MPLS element in a label-switched network:
• receiving, from a path computation element (PCE) for the label- switching network, a segment routing (SR) explicit route object (ERO) for a label-switched path (LSP) determined by the PCE using synchronization status information for a plurality of routing nodes in the label-switched network;
• sending an MPLS echo request to a plurality of downstream routing nodes specified by the SR ERO;
• receiving a respective MPLS echo reply from each of the downstream routing nodes;
• and
• validating the LSP using the MPLS echo replies using sent and received timestamps and, in response to validating the LSP, transitioning the LSP state from down to up.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor of a computer control the computer to perform operations comprising:

• at a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) emulator, implemented on the at least one processor, and configured for emulating an MPLS element in a label-switched network:
• receiving, from a path computation element (PCE) for the label-switching network, a segment routing (SR) explicit route object (ERO) for a label-switched path (LSP) determined by the PCE using synchronization status information for a plurality of routing nodes in the label-switched network;
• sending an MPLS echo request to a plurality of downstream routing nodes specified by the SR ERO;
• receiving a respective MPLS echo reply from each of the downstream routing nodes;
• and
• validating the LSP using the MPLS echo replies using sent and received timestamps and, in response to validating the LSP, transitioning the LSP state from down to up.