A protected communication network utilizes a link-based recovery strategy that includes methods for calculating and distributing link-protection parameters and calculating primary and link-detour paths based on these parameters. These link-protection parameters support the computation of more-optimal link-detour paths and a corresponding increase in sharing of network resources between disjoint failures. A joint-optimization mechanism can be employed that considers both the cost of link-detour paths as well as the cost of links in candidate primary paths in the selection of a primary path for a demand. Information for the joint optimization is preferably distributed using link-state advertisements.