Oam-based suboptimal ecmp path detection in software-defined fabric

An apparatus comprising:

• multiple network input/output interfaces;
• and
• a processor coupled to the multiple network input/output interfaces and configured to communicate with a network configured to forward packets based on network programming instructions encoded in the packets, the processor further configured to perform:
• generating a probe packet encoded with a replication network programming instruction configured to validate equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing in the network to a destination by remotely triggering transit nodes of the network that are traversed by the probe packet, to each perform replicate-and-forward actions, including:
• identifying ECMP paths toward the destination;
• generating, for the ECMP paths, replicated probe packets that each include the replication network programming instruction;
• and
• forwarding the replicated probe packets along the ECMP paths;
• and
• forwarding the probe packet toward the destination.

A method comprising:

• at a node of a network configured to forward packets based on network programming instructions encoded in the packets:
• receiving, from a previous node in the network, a probe packet encoded with a replication network programming instruction configured to validate equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing in the network to a destination;
• and
• responsive to the replication network programming instruction:
• identifying ECMP paths toward the destination;
• generating, for the ECMP paths, replicated probe packets that each include the replication network programming instruction;
• and
• forwarding the replicated probe packets along the ECMP paths.