Packet Metadata Channels Carrying Infrastructure Metadata in Networks

• US 20140226662A1
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frost, Daniel C., Spraggs, Simon James Trevor, Bryant, Stewart Frederick, Guichard, Jim, Pignataro, Carlos M., Filsfils, Clarence, Fernando, Rex Emmanuel
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus in a network determines particular metadata to communicate infrastructure information associated with a particular packet to another apparatus in the network. The apparatus sends into the network the particular packet including a metadata channel, comprising said particular metadata, external to the payload of the particular packet. Examples of infrastructure metadata carried in a packet include, but are not limited to, information defining service chaining for processing of the packet, contextual information for processing of the packet, specific handling instructions of the packet, and operations, maintenance, administration (OAM) instrumentation of the packet.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by an apparatus in a network, particular metadata to communicate infrastructure information associated with a particular packet to another apparatus in the network; and

sending, from the apparatus into the network, the particular packet including a metadata channel, comprising said particular metadata, external to the payload of the particular packet.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving the particular packet by the apparatus from a source external to the apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus and said another apparatus are each edge packet switching devices and the network is a provider network;

and wherein the method includes receiving the particular packet by the apparatus from a client network external to the provider network.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

wherein said operation of determining particular metadata is based on an identification of an application corresponding to the particular packet and on said another apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said particular metadata includes information for instrumenting the particular packet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said particular metadata includes information defining service chaining for processing the particular packet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said information defining service chaining for processing the particular packet includes identification of a service to be applied in processing of the particular packet within the network by a device other than by the apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said particular metadata includes contextual information for processing of the particular packet.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said contextual information for processing of the particular packet includes a profile identification or a user name.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said particular metadata includes information defining one or more infrastructure specific handling instructions of the particular packet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata channel includes a metadata channel header identifying the presence of said particular metadata in the particular packet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the particular packet is a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) packet.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the particular packet is an Internet Protocol (IP) packet.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a packet switching device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a host device.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, by said another apparatus, the particular packet; and

performing, by said another apparatus, infrastructure-related processing of said received particular packet based on said particular metadata included in said received particular packet.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said another apparatus is an edge packet switching device and the network is a provider network;

and

wherein the method includes operations performed by said another apparatus, including;

receiving the particular packet;

removing said metadata channel from the particular packet; and

sending said particular packet, without said metadata channel, onto a client network external to the provider network.

18. A packet switching device, comprising:

one or more processing elements;

memory;

a plurality of interfaces configured to send and receive packets; and

one or more packet switching mechanisms configured to packet switch packets among said interfaces;

wherein said one or more processing elements are configured to perform operations, including;

determining particular metadata to communicate infrastructure information associated with a received particular packet to another packet switching device in a network; and

causing to be sent from the packet switching device the particular packet including a metadata channel, comprising said particular metadata, external to the payload of the particular packet.

19. A packet switching device, comprising:

one or more processing elements;

memory;

a plurality of interfaces configured to send and receive packets; and

one or more packet switching mechanisms configured to packet switch packets among said interfaces;

wherein said one or more processing elements are configured to perform operations, including;

performing infrastructure-related processing of a received particular packet based on particular metadata included in a metadata channel in said received particular packet external to the payload of said received particular packet.

20. The packet switching device of claim 19, wherein the metadata channel includes a metadata channel header identifying the presence of said particular metadata in said received particular packet.