Global provisioning of zero-bandwidth traffic engineering label switched paths

A Path Computation Element, PCE, for provisioning zero-bandwidth Traffic Engineering Label Switching Paths, 0-bw TE LSPs, in a communication network having a plurality of network nodes and a plurality of network links connecting the nodes, said PCE comprising:

• a processor for receiving network topology information and for identifying each equal cost path from a source node to a destination node;
• a memory accessible by the processor for storing program instructions for a load balancing algorithm, wherein the processor runs the program instructions to determine a probability of selecting each equal cost shortest path for provisioning as a 0-bw TE LSP;
• and
• a provisioning unit for provisioning each 0-bw TE LSP with a specific probability such that an equal number of 0-bw TE LSPs are provisioned for each network link over the entire network.

An ingress router for provisioning zero-bandwidth Traffic Engineering Label Switching Paths, 0-bw TE LSPs, in a communication network having a plurality of network nodes and a plurality of network links connecting the nodes, said ingress router comprising:

• a Path Computation Client, PCC, for receiving network topology information and for identifying each equal cost path from a source node to a destination node;
• a memory accessible by the PCC for storing program instructions for a load balancing algorithm, wherein the PCC runs the program instructions to determine a probability of selecting each equal cost shortest path for provisioning as a 0-bw TE LSP;
• and
• a routing control processor for provisioning each 0-bw TE LSP with a specific probability such that an equal number of 0-bw TE LSPs are provisioned for each network link over the entire network.