Verification of network paths using two or more connectivity protocols

A network device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• an exploration response module executing on the processor to receive an exploration packet in accordance with a first connectivity protocol,
• wherein the exploration response module generates first packet header information that conforms to the first connectivity protocol and second packet header information that conforms to a second connectivity protocol,
• wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information is associated with two or more of the plurality of alternative paths of a label switched path (LSP),
• wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information specify respective packet header information necessary to direct packets along the individual paths in accordance with both the first connectivity protocol and the second connectivity protocol, and
• wherein the exploration response module sends the first packet header information and the second packet header information from the intermediate node to a network device in a single reply packet that conforms to the first connectivity protocol.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions to cause a network device to:

• receive a request that conforms to a first connectivity protocol to perform a first verification of a label switched path (LSP);
• generate first packet header information that conforms to the first connectivity protocol and second packet header information that conforms to a second connectivity protocol;
• and
• send the first packet header information and the second packet header information in a single reply packet that conforms to the first connectivity protocol, wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information in the reply packet specify respective packet header information necessary to direct packets along the individual paths in accordance with both the first connectivity protocol and the second connectivity protocol.