Abstract: A novel fast and scalable protection mechanism for protecting hierarchical multicast service in ring based networks. The mechanism of the present invention is especially suitable for use in Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) ring based networks such as Metro Ethernet Networks (MENs). The mechanism provides fast protection for MPLS based point-to-multipoint (P2MP) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) in a scalable manner. Each multicast connection on each ring in the network is split into two sub-LSPs: a primary P2MP sub-LSP originating on a primary node and a secondary P2MP sub-LSP originating on a secondary node traveling opposite to the primary path. For each node to be protected, a point-to-point protection tunnel is provisioned from that node to a secondary node that forwards the packets to the secondary path on all child rings connected to that parent ring through the protected node and that are provisioned to receive the specific multicast connection.