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In ATM networks, two levels of connections are defined: virtual path connections and virtual channel connections. Virtual paths are the building blocks of the virtual channels. This hierarchy, known as "the virtual path concept", provides considerable advantages in the design of high-speed networks. In the paper the authors show that this concept has the advantage of providing a means of improving the survivability of virtual channels. To this end, they present a simple rerouting protocol, which can be invoked upon the failure of an intermediate link or node of a virtual path. This protocol reroutes all the affected virtual channels to an alternative virtual path. Due to the simplicity of the protocol, it can be completed rapidly, thus fulfilling an essential requirement of any rerouting scheme.< >