System and method for enabling services chaining in a provider network
First Claim
1. A method of chaining services for a data packet flow in a service provider network, the method comprising:
- determining a service chaining policy associated with the data packet flow;
determining a Service Path Identifier (SPID) associated with the service chaining policy;
if the service chaining policy involves two or more service nodes to be traversed by the data packet flow for obtaining services in a sequential order, determining Endpoint Identifiers (EIDs) and Routing Locators (RLOCs) of the two or more service nodes using the SPID of the service chaining policy; and
performing a data exchange process with the two or more service nodes using encapsulation of data packets based on the EIDs and RLOCs of the service nodes to route the data packet flow to each of the two or more service nodes according to the service chaining policy, wherein the data exchange process is initiated by an ingress node that receives the data packet flow and oscillates between the ingress node and an egress node that emits the data packet flow after obtaining services at the two or more service nodes, based on locations of the two or more service nodes relative to the ingress and egress nodes of the service provider network, and further wherein each of the two or more service nodes returns serviced data packets of the data packet flow to a nearest one of the ingress and egress nodes after providing a service to the data packet flow, the ingress and egress nodes operating to steer the returned serviced data packets to a next service node of the service chain policy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for chaining one or more services in a service provider network. A service chaining policy and associated Service Path Identifier (SPID) are determined at an ingress node with respect to a particular data packet flow. If the service chaining policy involves one or more service nodes to be traversed by the data packet flow, each service node'"'"'s EIDs and RLOCs are determined. A sequential data exchange process with the service nodes is effectuated using encapsulation of data packets based on the EIDs and RLOCs for obtaining services in accordance with the order of services set forth in the chaining policy.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of chaining services for a data packet flow in a service provider network, the method comprising:
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determining a service chaining policy associated with the data packet flow; determining a Service Path Identifier (SPID) associated with the service chaining policy; if the service chaining policy involves two or more service nodes to be traversed by the data packet flow for obtaining services in a sequential order, determining Endpoint Identifiers (EIDs) and Routing Locators (RLOCs) of the two or more service nodes using the SPID of the service chaining policy; and performing a data exchange process with the two or more service nodes using encapsulation of data packets based on the EIDs and RLOCs of the service nodes to route the data packet flow to each of the two or more service nodes according to the service chaining policy, wherein the data exchange process is initiated by an ingress node that receives the data packet flow and oscillates between the ingress node and an egress node that emits the data packet flow after obtaining services at the two or more service nodes, based on locations of the two or more service nodes relative to the ingress and egress nodes of the service provider network, and further wherein each of the two or more service nodes returns serviced data packets of the data packet flow to a nearest one of the ingress and egress nodes after providing a service to the data packet flow, the ingress and egress nodes operating to steer the returned serviced data packets to a next service node of the service chain policy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A network node configured to operate with a service provider network, the network node comprising:
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one or more processors; and a persistent memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the persistent memory includes instructions executable by one or more processors and configured to; determine a service chaining policy associated with an incoming data packet flow; determine a Service Path Identifier (SPID) associated with the service chaining policy; determine, using the SPID, Endpoint Identifiers (EIDs) and Routing Locators (RLOCs) of two or more service nodes to be traversed by the data packet flow for obtaining services in a sequential order based on the service chaining policy; and perform a data exchange process with the two or more service nodes using encapsulation of data packets based on the EIDs and RLOCs of the service nodes to route the data packet flow to each of the two or more service nodes according to the service chaining policy, wherein the data exchange process is initiated by the network node operating as an ingress node that receives the data packet flow and oscillates between the ingress node and an egress node that emits the data packet flow after obtaining services at the two or more service nodes, based on locations of the two or more service nodes relative to the ingress and egress nodes of the service provider network, and further wherein each of the two or more service nodes is configured to return serviced data packets of the data packet flow to a nearest one of the ingress and egress nodes after providing a service to the data packet flow, the ingress and egress nodes operating to steer the returned serviced data packets to a next service node of the service chain policy. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A service node configured to operate with a service provider network, the service node comprising:
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one or more processors; and a persistent memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the persistent memory includes instructions executable by one or more processors and configured to; process a double-encapsulated data packet received from one of an ingress node and an egress node of the service provider network for a data packet flow requiring services at two or more service nodes in the service provider network pursuant to a service chaining policy, the processing comprising removing an EID encapsulation and an RLOC encapsulation from the double-encapsulated data packet; forward the data packet to a service logic module configured to deliver a service; and re-encapsulate the data packet, upon delivery of service by the service logic module, and send the re-encapsulated data packet to one of the ingress node and the egress node as part of a data exchange process initiated by the ingress node and oscillates between the ingress node and the egress node, wherein each of the two or more service nodes is configured to return serviced data packets of the data packet flow to a nearest one of the ingress and egress nodes after providing a service to the data packet flow, the ingress and egress nodes operating to steer the returned serviced data packets to a next service node of the service chain policy. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer system configured to operate as an network node in a service provider network, perform the acts:
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determining a service chaining policy associated with an incoming data packet flow; determining a Service Path Identifier (SPID) associated with the service chaining policy; if the service chaining policy involves two or more service nodes to be traversed by the data packet flow for obtaining services in a sequential order, determining Endpoint Identifiers (EIDs) and Routing Locators (RLOCs) of the one or more service nodes using the SPID of the service chaining policy; and performing a data exchange process with the two or more service nodes using encapsulation of data packets based on the EIDs and RLOCs of the service nodes to route the data packet flow to each of the two or more service nodes according to the service chaining policy, wherein the data exchange process is initiated by an ingress node that receives the data packet flow and oscillates between the ingress node and an egress node that emits the data packet flow after obtaining services at the two or more service nodes, based on locations of the two or more service nodes relative to the ingress and egress nodes of the service provider network, and further wherein each of the two or more service nodes returns serviced data packets of the data packet flow to a nearest one of the ingress and egress nodes after providing a service to the data packet flow, the ingress and egress nodes operating to steer the returned serviced data packets to a next service node of the service chain policy. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification