| CPC H04L 45/22 (2013.01) [H04L 45/28 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A method comprising:
determining a first contention metric associated with a first communication path between first nodes of a network, wherein the first contention metric is based on a first number of first circuits designating the first communication path as part of first backup paths for use in response to failure of first active paths used by the first circuits;
determining a second contention metric associated with a second communication path between second nodes of the network, wherein the second contention metric is based on a second number of second circuits designating the second communication path as part of second backup paths for use in response to failure of second active paths used by the second circuits;
determining, based at least in part on the first contention metric and the second contention metric, to reduce the first number of first circuits; and
reducing the first number of first circuits by modifying at least one of the first backup paths, resulting in a modified backup path that avoids the first communication path.
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