Metadata augmentation in a service function chain

• US RE48,131 E1
• Filed: 06/22/2017
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pignataro, Carlos M., Guichard, James N., Nainar, Nagendra Kumar, Quinn, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorrell, Eron J
• Application Number:
  US15/630,859
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• CPC Class Codes: N/A

Abstract

A method for augmenting metadata of a network service header is disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a first service node, a packet or frame of a traffic flow, wherein the packet has a payload and the network service header including a first metadata and a first service path information for the traffic flow, classifying, by the first service node, at least one of the payload and the first metadata to generate a second metadata different from the first metadata, and augmenting, by the first service node, the first metadata using the second metadata before forwarding the packet or frame to a second service node.

Claims

1. A method for augmenting metadata of a network service header, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first service node of a first service path, a packet or frame of a traffic flow, wherein the packet or frame has a payload and the network service header including a first metadata and a first service path information identifying the first service path for the traffic flow and the first metadata is a result of a previous classification of the packet or frame;

classifying, by the first service node, at least one of the payload and the first metadata to determining determine a secondary classification and generate a second metadata different from the first metadata;

determining, by the first service node, from the secondary classification that the previous classification is incorrect and the second metadata correct corrects an error of the first metadata;

and

augmenting, by the first service node, the first metadata with the second metadata before forwarding the packet or frame to a second service node of the first service path;

wherein the augmenting the first metadata with the second metadata comprises generating a second service path information different from the first service path information in response to generating the second metadata; and

replacing the network service header with a different network service header having the second metadata and the second service path information, wherein the first service path and the second service path belong to a service plane and semantics of the second metadata of the network service header are shared via a control plane of the first service node and the second service node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein augmenting the first metadata comprises adding the second metadata to the network service header.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein augmenting the first metadata comprises replacing the first metadata of the network service header with the second metadata.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary classification performed by the first service node is different from the previous classification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an initial service classifier that performed the previous classification is not capable of performing the classification performed by the first service node.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising replacing the previous classification with an attack classification upon which a subsequent service function is capable of acting.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the previous classification with the secondary classification determined by the first service node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second service node applies a policy on the packet or frame of the traffic flow based on the second metadata.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a different network service header having the second metadata; and

encapsulating the packet or frame of the traffic flow with the different network service header.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a second service path information different from the first service path information in response to generating the second metadata; and

replacing the network service header with a different network service header having the second metadata and the second service path information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein semantics of the second metadata of the network service header is shared via a control plane of the first service node and the second service node.

12. A service node in a service function path for augmenting metadata of a network service header, the service node comprising:

at least one memory element having instructions stored thereon;

at least one processors processor coupled to the at least one memory element and configured to execute the instructions to cause the service node to;

receive a packet or frame of a traffic flow, wherein the packet or frame has a payload and the network service header including a first metadata and a first service path information identifying the service function path for the traffic flow, wherein the first metadata is a result of a previous classification of the packet or frame;

classify at least one of the payload and the first metadata to determine a secondary classification and generate a second metadata different from the first metadata;

determine from the secondary classification that the previous classification is incorrect and the second metadata corrects an error of the first metadata;

and

augment the first metadata with the second metadata before forwarding the packet or frame to a second service node in the service function path;

generate a second service path information different from the first service path information in response to generating the second metadata; and

replace the network service header with a different network service header having the second metadata and the second service path information, wherein the first service path and the second service path belong to a service plane and semantics of the second metadata of the network service header are shared via a control plane of the first service node and the second service node.

13. The service node of claim 12, wherein augmenting the first metadata comprises adding the second metadata to the network service header.

14. The service node of claim 12, wherein augmenting the first metadata comprises replacing the first metadata of the network service header with the second metadata.

15. The service node of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the service node to:

generate a different network service header having the second metadata; and

encapsulate the packet or frame of the traffic flow with the different network service header.

16. The service node of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the service node to:

generate a second service path information different from the first service path information in response to generating the second metadata; and

replace the network service header with a different network service header having the second metadata and the second service path information.

17. A computer-readable non-transitory medium comprising one or more instructions for augmenting metadata of a network service header, that when executed on a processor configure the processor to:

receive, by a first service node a packet or frame of a traffic flow, wherein the packet or frame has a payload and the network service header including a first metadata and a first service path information identifying the first service path for the traffic flow, wherein the first metadata is a result of a previous classification of the packet or frame;

classify, by the first service node, at least one of the payload and the first metadata to determine a secondary classification and generate a second metadata different from the first metadata;

determine, by the first service node, from the second classification that the previous classification is incorrect and the second metadata corrects an error of the first metadata;

and

augment, by the first service node, the first metadata using the second metadata before forwarding the packet or frame to a second service node;

generate a second service path information different from the first service path information in response to generating the second metadata; and

replace the network service header with a different network service header having the second metadata and the second service path information, wherein the first service path and the second service path belong to a service plane and semantics of the second metadata of the network service header are shared via a control plane of the first service node and the second service node.

18. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more instructions further configure the processor to replace the previous classification with an attack classification upon which a subsequent service function is capable of acting.

19. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 17, wherein augmenting the first metadata comprises replacing the first metadata of the network service header with the second metadata.

20. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 17, wherein the second service node applies a policy on the packet or frame of the traffic flow based on the second metadata.