Method and apparatus for tracing paths in service function chains
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a trace request packet at a service node in a service chain, the trace request packet comprising a service path identifier, a service index, and a service index limit that remains constant for use in identifying at least one service node in the service chain to generate a trace report packet, the service index providing a location within the service path;
processing the trace request packet at the service node;
generating the trace report packet at the service node, the trace report packet comprising service function information of a plurality of service functions in the service chain; and
transmitting the trace report packet;
wherein each of a plurality of service nodes in the service chain inserts its service function information into the trace request packet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a trace request packet at a service node in a service chain, the trace request packet comprising a service path identifier, a service index, and a service index limit, processing the trace request packet at the service node, generating a trace report packet at the service node, the trace report packet comprising service function information for the service node, and transmitting the trace report packet. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
receiving a trace request packet at a service node in a service chain, the trace request packet comprising a service path identifier, a service index, and a service index limit that remains constant for use in identifying at least one service node in the service chain to generate a trace report packet, the service index providing a location within the service path; processing the trace request packet at the service node; generating the trace report packet at the service node, the trace report packet comprising service function information of a plurality of service functions in the service chain; and transmitting the trace report packet; wherein each of a plurality of service nodes in the service chain inserts its service function information into the trace request packet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An apparatus comprising:
-
an interface for receiving a trace request packet at a service node on a service chain, the trace request packet comprising a service index limit that remains constant for use in identifying at least one service node in the service chain to generate a trace report packet; a processor for processing the trace request packet and determining whether to forward the trace request packet on the service chain or to generate the trace report packet based on a comparison of a service index to the service index limit in the trace request packet; and memory for storing service function information; wherein the trace report packet comprises the service function information of a plurality of service functions in the service chain, and the trace request packet is forwarded on the service chain according to a service path identifier and the service index. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An apparatus comprising:
-
an interface for transmitting a trace request packet and receiving a trace report packet on a service chain; a processor for generating the trace request packet and processing the trace report packet to identify a status of a service function path of the service chain; and memory for storing service function information from the trace report packet; wherein the trace request packet comprises a service path identifier, a service index for use in routing the trace request packet on the service chain, and a fixed service index limit that remains constant for use in identifying a service node in the service chain to generate the trace report packet, the service index providing a location within the service path; and wherein the trace report packet comprises the service function information of a plurality of service functions in the service function chain. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification