System and method for establishing protected connections

A system for establishing protected connections, comprising:

• an interface configured to receive an advertisement corresponding to a first link of a plurality of first layer links of a multi-layer network, the advertisement indicating an abstract link protects the first link against link failure using one or more of the second layer links of the multi-layer network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the interface and configured to:
• determine a primary path to a first node through a first layer of a multi-layer network, the primary path comprising a plurality of the first layer links, at least one link of the plurality of first layer links associated with one or more second layer links at a second layer;
• determine a secondary path to the first node through the first layer, wherein:
• upon the interface detecting that the first link of the plurality of first layer links is protected against link failure by a second layer link based on the advertisement, determining that the secondary path comprises the first link of the first layer;
• and
• upon the interface detecting that a second link of the plurality of first layer links is not protected against link failure by the at least one second layer link, determining that the secondary path comprises another link of the first layer not included in the primary path.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising logic, the logic operable when executed by a processor to:

• determine a primary path to a first node through a first layer of a multi-layer network, the primary path comprising a plurality of first layer links, at least one link of the plurality of first layer links associated with one or more second layer links at a second layer;
• receive an advertisement corresponding to a first link of the plurality of first layer links, the advertisement indicating an abstract link protects the first link against link failure using one or more of the second layer links;
• determine a secondary path to the first node through the first layer, wherein:
• upon detecting that the first link of the plurality of first layer links is protected against link failure by a second layer link based on the advertisement, determining that the secondary path comprises the first link of the first layer;
• and
• upon detecting that a second link of the plurality of first layer links is not protected against link failure by the at least one second layer link, determining that the secondary path comprises another link of the first layer not included in the primary path.