Abstract: A network is programmed to, based on a service function policy, determine a first service function chain of services to apply to outbound packets of a first type that arrive at a serving gateway; upon classifying a first outbound packet arriving at the serving gateway as the first type based on an identifier of the first outbound packet, route the first outbound packet to the services of the first service function chain; map the identifier to the first type such that the mapping is accessible by the packet gateway; determine a second service function chain of the same services to apply to inbound packets of the first type that arrive at a packet gateway; and upon classifying a first inbound packet arriving at the packet gateway as the first type based on the mapped identifier, route the first inbound packet to the services of the second service function chain.

Abstract: A network is programmed to, based on a service function policy, determine a first service function chain of services to apply to outbound packets of a first type that arrive at a serving gateway; upon classifying a first outbound packet arriving at the serving gateway as the first type based on an identifier of the first outbound packet, route the first outbound packet to the services of the first service function chain; map the identifier to the first type such that the mapping is accessible by the packet gateway; determine a second service function chain of the same services to apply to inbound packets of the first type that arrive at a packet gateway; and upon classifying a first inbound packet arriving at the packet gateway as the first type based on the mapped identifier, route the first inbound packet to the services of the second service function chain.

Abstract: A system comprises a gateway computer further comprising a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine one or more service functions (SF) based on a received data packet, and to determine a list of routing identifiers based on the determined service functions and a destination of the data packet. Each routing identifier identifies at least one of a router computer and a service function. The memory stores instructions to update the data packet to include the list of routing identifiers, and to transmit the updated data packet based on the list of routing identifiers.

Abstract: A system comprises a gateway computer further comprising a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine one or more service functions (SF) based on a received data packet, and to determine a list of routing identifiers based on the determined service functions and a destination of the data packet. Each routing identifier identifies at least one of a router computer and a service function. The memory stores instructions to update the data packet to include the list of routing identifiers, and to transmit the updated data packet based on the list of routing identifiers.