Patent attributes
A network device receives configuration information defining one or more abstract hops for which membership is defined as those network devices that satisfy a logical combination of one or more constituent attributes. The network device determines based on network topology information, for each of the defined abstract hops, a set of network devices that qualify for membership in the abstract hop. The network device receives a request to establish a label switched path (LSP) from an ingress network device to an egress network device, wherein the request specifies, as a constraint for the LSP, a plurality of hops in a defined order, including the one or more abstract hops. The network device selects a path from the ingress network device to the specified egress network device based on the ordered abstract hop constraint, and establishes the LSP along the selected path according to the defined order of the request.
