NETWORK SERVICE SLOTTING

• US 20150003453A1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicira Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: SENGUPTA, Anirban, JAIN, Jayant, MANUGURI, Subrahmanyam
• Granted Patent: US 9,686,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems of packet processing utilize an ordered sequence of packet processing services to process a packet having a destination. The packet is a native, non-proprietary network packet that uses a standard network protocol and standard packet format. The packet processing services include a plurality of physical and/or virtual services. The ordered sequence is determined by applying one or more policy rules. A virtual service insertion platform manages routing of the packet to each service in the ordered sequence of services until all services have processed the packet, then the packet is forwarded to the packet destination.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of processing a first packet using an ordered sequence of services, the first packet having a source, a destination, and a type, the method comprising:

determining the ordered sequence of services for processing the packet, the ordered sequence including a first service and a second service;

storing state information for the first packet associated with the first service;

preparing and forwarding the first packet to the first service;

receiving a first processed packet from the first service in response to the forwarding of the first packet to the first service;

identifying the first processed packet by comparing the first processed packet with the stored state information associated with the first service;

storing state information for the first processed packet associated with the second service;

preparing and forwarding the first processed packet to the second service;

receiving a second processed packet from the second service in response to the forwarding of the first processed packet to the second service;

identifying the second processed packet by comparing the second processed packet with the stored state information associated with the second service; and

preparing and forwarding to the second processed packet to the destination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the first packet comprises modifying a header of the first packet to specify a destination address for the first service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the ordered sequence of services comprises applying a policy rule based upon an attribute of the first packet.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the attribute comprises one of:

the type of the first packet and an address in a header of the first packet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing state information for the first packet comprises storing a header of the first packet, and storing state information for the first processed packet comprises storing a header of the first processed packet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a service comprises one of:

a firewall, network load balancing, encryption, decryption, IP security (IPsec), and generic route encapsulation (GRE).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing a processed packet with state information comprises comparing state information with:

a source address of the processed packet, a destination of address of the processed packet, a unique identifier of the processed packet, a type of the service that generated the processed packet, or any combination of thereof.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium programmed with executable instructions that, when executed, implement a method of processing a first packet using an ordered sequence of services, the first packet having a source, a destination, and a type, the method comprising:

determining the ordered sequence of services for processing the packet, the ordered sequence including a first service and a second service;

storing state information for the first packet associated with the first service;

preparing and forwarding the first packet to the first service;

receiving a first processed packet from the first service in response to the forwarding of the first packet to the first service;

identifying the first processed packet by comparing the first processed packet with the stored state information associated with the first service;

storing state information for the first processed packet associated with the second service;

preparing and forwarding the first processed packet to the second service;

receiving a second processed packet from the second service in response to the forwarding of the first processed packet to the second service;

identifying the second processed packet by comparing the second processed packet with the stored state information associated with the second service; and

preparing and forwarding to the second processed packet to the destination.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein preparing the first packet comprises modifying a header of the first packet to specify a destination address for the first service.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein determining the ordered sequence of services comprises applying a policy rule based upon an attribute of the first packet.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the attribute comprises one of:

the type of the first packet and an address in a header of the first packet.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein storing state information for the first packet comprises storing a header of the first packet, and storing state information for the first processed packet comprises storing a header of the first processed packet.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein a service comprises one of:

a firewall, network load balancing, encryption, decryption, IP security (IPsec), and generic route encapsulation (GRE).

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein comparing a processed packet with state information comprises comparing state information with:

a source address of the processed packet, a destination of address of the processed packet, a unique identifier of the processed packet, a type of the service that generated the processed packet, or any combination of thereof.

15. A system for processing a packet, comprising:

a processing device programmed with executable instructions that, when executed, perform a method of processing a first packet using an ordered sequence of services, the first packet having a source, a destination, and a type, the method comprising;

determining the ordered sequence of services for processing the packet, the ordered sequence including a first service and a second service;

storing state information for the first packet associated with the first service;

preparing and forwarding the first packet to the first service;

receiving a first processed packet from the first service in response to the forwarding of the first packet to the first service;

identifying the first processed packet by comparing the first processed packet with the stored state information associated with the first service;

storing state information for the first processed packet associated with the second service;

preparing and forwarding the first processed packet to the second service;

receiving a second processed packet from the second service in response to the forwarding of the first processed packet to the second service;

identifying the second processed packet by comparing the second processed packet with the stored state information associated with the second service; and

preparing and forwarding to the second processed packet to the destination.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein preparing the first packet comprises modifying a header of the first packet to specify a destination address for the first service.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the ordered sequence of services comprises applying a policy rule based upon an attribute of the first packet.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the attribute comprises one of:

the type of the first packet and an address in a header of the first packet.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein storing state information comprises for the first packet comprises storing a header of the first packet, and storing state information for the first processed packet comprises storing a header of the first processed packet.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein a service comprises one of:

a firewall, network load balancing, encryption, decryption, IP security (IPsec), and generic route encapsulation (GRE).

21. The system of claim 15, wherein comparing a processed packet with state information comprises comparing state information with:

a source address of the processed packet, a destination of address of the processed packet, a unique identifier of the processed packet, a type of the service that generated the processed packet, or any combination thereof.