Routing of traffic in network through automatically generated and physically distinct communication paths

A method of configuring a plurality of traffic flows within a software defined network (SDN), the system comprising:

• receiving from a user a user a plurality of traffic flows, the plurality of traffic flows comprising at least a first traffic flow between a first host and a second host, and a second traffic flow between a third host and a fourth host;
• receiving a priority designation associated with at least a subset of the plurality of traffic flows, the subset comprising at least:
• a first high-priority traffic flow associated with the first traffic flow, and a second high-priority traffic flow associated with the second traffic flow;
• generating a first specific communication path through the software defined network corresponding to the first traffic flow;
• and
• generate a second specific communication path through the software defined network corresponding to the second traffic flow;
• determine enhancements to the software defined network sufficient to cause at least one of the first specific communication path and the second specific communication path to increase reliability from an N−1 reliability standard to an N−2 reliability standard;
• wherein the first route is physically distinct from the second priority traffic flow.

A system to configure a plurality of traffic flows within a software defined network (SDN), the system comprising:

• a user-interface subsystem configured to receive from a user a plurality of traffic flows, the plurality of traffic flows comprising at least:
• a first traffic flow between a first host and a second host, and
• a second traffic flow between a third host and a fourth host;
• a priority subsystem configured to receive a priority designation associated with at least a subset of the plurality of traffic flows, the subset comprising at least:
• a first high-priority traffic flow associated with the first traffic flow, and
• a second high-priority traffic flow associated with the second traffic flow;
• and
• a traffic routing subsystem configured to:
• generate a first specific communication path through the software defined network corresponding to the first traffic flow;
• generate a second specific communication path through the software defined network corresponding to the second traffic flow;
• a reliability subsystem configured to determine enhancements to the software defined network sufficient to cause one of the first specific communication path and the second specific communication path to transition from an N−1 reliability standard to an N−2 reliability standard;
• wherein the first specific communication path is physically distinct from the second specific communication path.