Methods and apparatus for enabling a protected circuit path to be created efficiently are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for creating a protected circuit path within an optical network system includes identifying a first node, a second node, and a third node. Once the nodes are identified, a pseudo link or a virtual link may be created between the second node and the third node. A first circuit path is then routed between the first node and the second node, and a second circuit path which protects that first circuit path is routed between the first node and the third node using the pseudo link.