Sending instructions from a service manager to forwarding agents on a need to know basis
First Claim
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1. A method for providing a network service, comprising:
- receiving instructions from a service manager at a forwarding agent, the instructions being generated by the service manager and being operable to indicate how packets associated with a flow and received by the forwarding agent are to be processed;
processing the packets received at the forwarding agent according to the instructions communicated by the service manager;
receiving a subsequent packet at the forwarding agent;
determining that the subsequent packet matches a criteria included in the packet handling instructions; and
processing the subsequent packet at the forwarding agent according to the packet handling instructions.
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Abstract
A system and method are described for providing instructions for forwarding packets. The method includes broadcasting a general instruction specifying a plurality of flows to a plurality of forwarding agents and receiving at a service manager a first message responsive to the general instruction indicating that a packet for a specific flow has been received by a specific forwarding agent. A specific instruction is generated at the service manager for handling the specific flow and the specific instruction for handling the specific flow is sent to the specific forwarding agent.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for providing a network service, comprising:
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receiving instructions from a service manager at a forwarding agent, the instructions being generated by the service manager and being operable to indicate how packets associated with a flow and received by the forwarding agent are to be processed; processing the packets received at the forwarding agent according to the instructions communicated by the service manager; receiving a subsequent packet at the forwarding agent; determining that the subsequent packet matches a criteria included in the packet handling instructions; and processing the subsequent packet at the forwarding agent according to the packet handling instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A forwarding agent, comprising:
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a service manager receiving interface for receiving instructions from a service manager specifying actions to be performed for server designated packets; a service manager sending interface for communicating one or more packets to the service manager; a network packet receiving interface for receiving one or more packets from a network; a network packet forwarding interface for forwarding one or more packets to the network; a processor for performing the specified actions on the server designated packets; and a service manager instruction storage element operable to store the instructions, wherein the storage element is operable to store one or more affinities that identify one or more flows that may be selected for processing by the service manager. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for providing a network service, comprising:
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means for receiving instructions from a service manager, the instructions being generated by the service manager and being operable to indicate how packets associated with a flow are to be processed; means for processing the packets according to the instructions communicated by the service manager; means for receiving a subsequent packet; means for determining that the subsequent packet matches a criteria included in the packet handling instructions; and means for processing the subsequent packet according to the packet handling instructions. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer readable medium for providing a network service, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:
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receive instructions from a service manager, the instructions being generated by the service manager and being operable to indicate how packets associated with a flow and are to be processed; process the packets according to the instructions communicated by the service manager; receive a subsequent packet; determine that the subsequent packet matches a criteria included in the packet handling instructions; and process the subsequent packet according to the packet handling instructions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification