A router configured to communicate data with a destination router over an IP path that includes an IP link that uses a first optical path. The router configured to proactively maintain the performance of the communication of data. The router configured to receive a signal to move the communication off of the first optical path, before performance of the first optical path has failed. The router configured to establish a second optical path to the destination router an associate the IP link with the second optical path and move the communication of data with the destination router to the second optical path. The router may optionally be configured to tear down the first optical path. The trigger received by the router may be an indication of a performance degradation of the first optical path or an indication of a router interface used by the IP link being switched into maintenance mode.