Expressing traffic engineering intents on sub paths

A path computation element configured to calculate a path through a network, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the path computation element at least to:
• receive a TE path expression including a plurality of segments wherein the segments of the plurality of segments includes an instruction, a terminator, and a quantification;
• calculate first portion of the path through the network based upon a first segment of the plurality of segments of the TE path expression;
• determine if the calculated path has reached its end point, and
• calculate a next portion of the path through the network based upon a next segment of the plurality of segments of the TE path expression when the calculated path has not reached its end point.

A method to calculate a path through a network, comprising:

• receiving a TE path expression including a plurality of segments wherein the segments of the plurality of segments includes an instruction, a terminator, and a quantification;
• calculating first portion of the path through the network based upon a first segment of the plurality of segments of the TE path expression;
• determining if the calculated path has reached its end point;
• and
• calculating a next portion of the path through the network based upon a next segment of the plurality of segments of the TE path expression when the calculated path has not reached its end point.