Determining the operations performed along a service path/service chain
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- in a network comprising a plurality of network nodes each configured to apply one or more service functions to traffic that passes through the respective network nodes in a service path, receiving at a network node an indication of a failure or degradation of a service function or application applied to traffic at the network node;
generating data descriptive of the failure or degradation;
determining a previous service hop network node at which a service function or application was applied to traffic in the service path;
communicating the data descriptive of the failure or degradation to the previous service hop network node;
examining a service header of a received packet in which the received packet is encapsulated to detect a state of a particular bit in the service header allocated to indicate that the received packet is a synthetic packet injected into the service path for verification of packet forwarding through the service path;
determining whether the network node is a last service hop in the service path; and
when the network node is the last service hop in the service path, dropping the synthetic packet and sending to a destination a notification that the synthetic packet reached the last service hop in the service path.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Presented herein are techniques performed in a network comprising a plurality of network nodes each configured to apply one or more service functions to traffic that passes the respective network nodes in a service path. At a network node, an indication is received of a failure or degradation of one or more service functions or applications applied to traffic at the network node. Data descriptive of the failure or degradation is generated. A previous service hop network node at which a service function or application was applied to traffic in the service path is determined. The data descriptive of the failure or degradation is communicated to the previous service hop network node.
93 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
in a network comprising a plurality of network nodes each configured to apply one or more service functions to traffic that passes through the respective network nodes in a service path, receiving at a network node an indication of a failure or degradation of a service function or application applied to traffic at the network node; generating data descriptive of the failure or degradation; determining a previous service hop network node at which a service function or application was applied to traffic in the service path; communicating the data descriptive of the failure or degradation to the previous service hop network node; examining a service header of a received packet in which the received packet is encapsulated to detect a state of a particular bit in the service header allocated to indicate that the received packet is a synthetic packet injected into the service path for verification of packet forwarding through the service path; determining whether the network node is a last service hop in the service path; and when the network node is the last service hop in the service path, dropping the synthetic packet and sending to a destination a notification that the synthetic packet reached the last service hop in the service path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An apparatus comprising:
-
a network interface unit configured to enable communications over a network, the network comprising a plurality of network nodes each configured to apply one or more service functions to traffic that passes through the respective network nodes in a service path; a memory; and a processor coupled to the network interface unit and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to; receive at a network node an indication of a failure or degradation of a service function or application applied to traffic at the network node; generate data descriptive of the failure or degradation; determine a previous service hop network node at which a service function or application was applied to traffic in the service path; communicate the data descriptive of the failure or degradation to the previous service hop network node; examine a service header of a received packet in which the received packet is encapsulated to detect a state of a particular bit in the service header allocated to indicate that the received packet is a synthetic packet injected into the service path for verification of packet forwarding through the service path; determine whether the network node is a last service hop in the service path; and when the network node is the last service hop in the service path, drop the synthetic packet and send to a destination a notification that the synthetic packet reached the last service hop in the service path. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:
-
receive at a network node configured to apply one or more service functions to traffic that passes the network node in a service path, an indication of a failure or degradation of a service function or application applied to traffic at the network node; generate data descriptive of the failure or degradation; determine a previous service hop network node at which a service function or application was applied to traffic in the service path; communicate the data descriptive of the failure or degradation to the previous service hop network node; examine a service header of a received packet in which the received packet is encapsulated to detect a state of a particular bit in the service header allocated to indicate that the received packet is a synthetic packet injected into the service path for verification of packet forwarding through the service path; determine whether the network node is a last service hop in the service path; and when the network node is the last service hop in the service path, drop the synthetic packet and send to a destination a notification that the synthetic packet reached the last service hop in the service path. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification