Cascading multiple services on a forwarding agent

• US 6,735,169 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1999
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Albert, Mark, Tiwari, Pranav Kumar, Menditto, Louis F., Howes, Richard A., Tsang, Tzu-Ming, LeBlanc, William M., Jordan, James A., Kersey, Edward A., McGuire, Jacob Mark, OʼRourke, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOAKYE, ALEXANDER O
• Application Number:
  US09/347,124
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/236, 370/230, 370/235, 370/351, 370/432, 370/389, 370/386, 370/428, 370/410, 370/400, 370/401, 709/203, 709/226, 709/223, 709/105
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/245 using preemption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for providing a plurality of network services. The method includes receiving at a forwarding agent a plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow from one or more service managers and storing the plurality of matching instructions on the forwarding agent having a forwarding agent network interface. A packet for the specified flow at the forwarding agent is received on the forwarding agent network interface. A highest service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent is determined. The packet is processed according to the highest priority matching instruction. A next highest service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent is determined and the packet is processed according to the next highest service priority matching instruction.

Claims

1. A method of providing a plurality of network services comprising:

receiving at a forwarding agent a plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow from one or more service managers;

storing the plurality of matching instructions on the forwarding agent having a forwarding agent network interface;

receiving a packet for the specified flow at the forwarding agent on the forwarding agent network interface;

determining a highest service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent;

processing the packet according to the highest priority matching instruction;

determining a next highest service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent; and

processing the packet according to the next highest service priority matching instruction.

2. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match more than a single flow.

3. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match only a single flow.

4. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 1 wherein a first subset of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match only a single flow and a second subset of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match more than a single flow.

5. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow are received from a single service manager.

6. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow are received from a plurality of service managers.

7. A forwarding agent comprising:

an instruction receiving interface configured to receive a plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow from one or more service managers;

a memory configured to store the plurality of matching instructions on the forwarding agent having a forwarding agent network interface;

a packet receiving interface configured to receive a packet for the specified flow at the forwarding agent;

a processor configured to determine a highest service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent and to process the packet according to the highest priority matching instruction and to determine a next highest service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent and to process the packet according to the next highest service priority matching instruction.

8. A method of providing a plurality of network services comprising:

receiving at a forwarding agent a plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow from one or more service managers;

storing the plurality of matching instructions on the forwarding agent having a service manager interface;

receiving a packet for the specified flow at the forwarding agent on the service manager interface wherein the packet is encapsulated along with a service priority identifier, the service priority identifier specifies a next service priority for a stage of packet processing to be executed by the forwarding agent;

determining a matching instruction that corresponds to an eligible service priority wherein the eligible service priority is the same level as or a lower level than the next service priority; and

processing the packet according to the matching instruction that corresponds to the eligible service priority.

9. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 8 wherein the packet is encapsulated along with the matching instruction that corresponds to an eligible service priority.

10. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 8 wherein the matching instruction that corresponds to an eligible service priority instruction is stored on the forwarding agent.

11. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 8 wherein each of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match more than a single flow.

12. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 8 wherein each of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match only a single flow.

13. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 8 wherein a first subset of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match only a single flow and a second subset of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match more than a single flow.

14. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 8 wherein the plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow are received from a single service manager.

15. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 8 wherein the plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow are received from a plurality of service managers.

16. A method of providing a plurality of network services comprising:

receiving at a forwarding agent a plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow from one or more service managers;

storing the plurality of matching instructions on the forwarding agent having a forwarding agent network interface;

receiving a packet for the specified flow at the forwarding agent;

retrieving a first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent wherein the first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent specifies that the packet is to be sent from the forwarding agent over the forwarding agent network interface;

retrieving a second service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent wherein the second service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding has a lower priority than the first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent;

noting that the second service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent has been preempted by the first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent.

17. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 16 further including sending an message to a service manager that sent the first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent indicating that the first service priority matching instruction has preempted another instruction having a lower service priority.

18. A method of providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 17 wherein the message identifies the first service priority matching instruction.

19. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving at a forwarding agent a plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow from one or more service managers;

storing the plurality of matching instructions on the forwarding agent having a forwarding agent network interface;

receiving a packet for the specified flow at the forwarding agent on the forwarding agent network interface;

determining a highest service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent;

processing the packet according to the highest priority matching instruction;

determining a next highest service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent; and

processing the packet according to the next highest service priority matching instruction.

20. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network service as recited in claim 19 wherein each of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match more than a single flow.

21. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network service as recited in claim 19 wherein each of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match only a single flow.

22. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network service as recited in claim 19 wherein a first subset of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match only a single flow and a second subset of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match more than a single flow.

23. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network service as recited in claim 19 wherein the plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow are received from a single service manager.

24. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network service as recited in claim 19 wherein the plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow are received from a plurality of service managers.

25. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving at a forwarding agent a plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow from one or more service managers;

storing the plurality of matching instructions on the forwarding agent having a service manager interface;

receiving a packet for the specified flow at the forwarding agent on the service manager interface wherein the packet is encapsulated along with a service priority identifier, the service priority identifier specifies a next service priority for a stage of packet processing to be executed by the forwarding agent;

determining a matching instruction that corresponds to an eligible service priority wherein the eligible service priority is the same level as or a lower level than the next service priority; and

processing the packet according to the matching instruction that corresponds to the eligible service priority.

26. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 25 wherein the packet is encapsulated along with the matching instruction that corresponds to an eligible service priority.

27. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 25 wherein the matching instruction that corresponds to an eligible service priority instruction is stored on the forwarding agent.

28. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 25 wherein each of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match more than a single flow.

29. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 25 wherein each of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match only a single flow.

30. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 25 wherein a first subset of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match only a single flow and a second subset of the matching instructions received at the forwarding agent match more than a single flow.

31. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 25 wherein the plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow are received from a single service manager.

32. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 27 wherein the plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow are received from a plurality of service managers.

33. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving at a forwarding agent a plurality of matching instructions corresponding to a specified flow from one or more service managers;

storing the plurality of matching instructions on the forwarding agent having a forwarding agent network interface;

receiving a packet for the specified flow at the forwarding agent;

retrieving a first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent wherein the first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent specifies that the packet is to be sent from the forwarding agent over the forwarding agent network interface;

retrieving a second service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent wherein the second service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding has a lower priority than the first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent;

noting that the second service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent has been preempted by the first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent.

34. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 33 the computer program product further comprising computer instructions for sending an message to a service manager that sent the first service priority matching instruction stored on the forwarding agent indicating that the first service priority matching instruction has preempted another instruction having a lower service priority.

35. A computer program product for providing a plurality of network services as recited in claim 34 wherein the message identifies the first service priority matching instruction.