Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for use in a network environment that includes one or more service zones, each service zone including at least one instance of an in-line application service to be applied to network traffic and one or more routers to direct network traffic to the at least one service, and a route target being assigned to a unique service zone to serve as a community value for route import and export between routers of other service zones, destination networks or source networks via a control protocol. An edge router in each service zone or destination network advertises routes by its destination network prefix tagged with its route target. A service chain is created by importing and exporting of destination network prefixes by way of route targets at edge routers of the service zones or source networks.

Abstract: A method for applying network services to data traffic forwarded between virtual private network (VPN) sites includes: receiving a data packet addressed to a target site associated with the VPN, determining services to be applied to the data packet according to a service chain, where the determining is a function of at least one of the VPN, the origin site or the target site, adding an indication of a VPN forwarding context onto the data packet, encapsulating the data packet with Network Service Header encapsulation, where a header for the encapsulated data packet indicates at least the service chain; forwarding the encapsulated data packet in accordance with the service chain, receiving the encapsulated data packet at the end of the service chain, terminating the service chain, removing the encapsulation, and forwarding the data packet to a target destination per the indication of a VPN forwarding context.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving at a node of a transitive IP network a data packet including a Network Services Header (“NSH”); accessing by the transitive IP network node context contained in the NSH, wherein the context may be used by the transitive IP network node to perform an enhanced network service in connection with the received data packet; performing by the transitive IP network node the enhanced network service in connection with the received data packet using the accessed context; and, subsequent to the performing, forwarding the received packet to a next node.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to receiving an original packet at a service function; determining, for a reverse packet, a reverse service path identifier for a previous hop on a service function chain; determining, for the reverse packet, a service index for the reverse service path identifier; and transmitting the reverse packet to the previous hop on the service function chain.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques performed in a network comprising a plurality of network nodes each configured to apply one or more service functions to traffic that passes the respective network nodes in a service path. At a network node, an indication is received of a failure or degradation of one or more service functions or applications applied to traffic at the network node. Data descriptive of the failure or degradation is generated. A previous service hop network node at which a service function or application was applied to traffic in the service path is determined. The data descriptive of the failure or degradation is communicated to the previous service hop network node.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus having logic elements to: receive an incoming packet associated with a first service function chain; identify a next hop service function for the incoming packet as a non-reactive service function; create a duplicate packet; forward the duplicate packet to the non-reactive service function; and forward the incoming packet to a next reactive service function.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for dynamic creation of a unique service path for a service chain. In one example, a service controller and a plurality of service nodes are provided, each service node configured to apply a service function to traffic that passes through the respective service node. The service controller defines a service chain identifying a set of service functions and an order in which they are applied. The service controller receives an indication that the service chain has been instantiated at a classifier, and creates a unique service path for the service chain, wherein the unique service path includes the service chain and the classifier at which the service chain is instantiated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device in a network receives a packet that includes one or more forwarding labels and a service function chaining (SFC) header. The device removes the one or more forwarding labels from the packet. The device inserts an indication of the one or more forwarding labels into metadata of the SFC header. The device forwards the packet with the inserted indication of the one or more forwarding labels to a service function.

Abstract: A network service packet (NSP) header security method includes receiving an NSP on a communication interface, analyzing, by a processor, the NSP in order to identify a plurality of service functions and an associated service function path for the plurality of service functions, identifying, by the processor, which security function or functions may be performed by each of the plurality of service functions on an NSP header to be generated for the NSP, requesting, by the processor, at least one key for securing at least part of the NSP header, receiving the at least one key on the communication interface, generating, by the processor, the NSP header for the NSP, securing, by the processor, the NSP header based on the at least one key, and sending, on the communication interface, the NSP with the NSP header to one of the plurality of service functions.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for determining whether to allow or continue to allow access to a protected data asset are disclosed herein. For example, one method involves receiving a request to access a protected data asset, wherein the request is received from a first user device; determining whether to grant access to the protected data asset, wherein the determining comprises evaluating one or more criteria associated with the first user device, and the criteria comprises first information associated with a first policy constraint; and in response to a determination that access to the protected data asset is to be granted, granting access to the protected data asset.

Abstract: A method for load balancing based on metadata in a network service header. The method includes receiving a packet or frame of a traffic flow, wherein the packet or frame has a payload and the network service header including metadata and service path information for the traffic flow identifying the service path, and the metadata comprises classification information of the packet or frame, extracting, by a service header processor of the load balancer, the classification information of the metadata from the packet or frame, and applying, by a load balancing function of the load balancer, a load balancing policy on the packet or frame based on the classification information of the metadata.

Abstract: A method for load balancing based on metadata in a network service header. The method includes receiving a packet or frame of a traffic flow, wherein the packet or frame has a payload and the network service header including metadata and service path information for the traffic flow identifying the service path, and the metadata comprises classification information of the packet or frame, extracting, by a service header processor of the load balancer, the classification information of the metadata from the packet or frame, and applying, by a load balancing function of the load balancer, a load balancing policy on the packet or frame based on the classification information of the metadata.

Abstract: A network service packet (NSP) header security method includes receiving an NSP on a communication interface, analyzing, by a processor, the NSP in order to identify a plurality of service functions and an associated service function path for the plurality of service functions, identifying, by the processor, which security function or functions may be performed by each of the plurality of service functions on an NSP header to he generated for the NSP, requesting, by the processor, at least one key for securing at least part of the NSP header, receiving the at least one key on the communication interface, generating, by the processor, the NSP header for the NSP, securing, by the processor, the NSP header based on the at least one key, and sending, on the communication interface, the NSP with the NSP header to one of the plurality of service functions.

Abstract: Presented herein are service-function chaining techniques. In one example, a service controller in a network comprising a plurality of service nodes receives one is configured to identify one or more service-functions hosted by each of the service nodes. The service controller defines a service-function chain in terms of service-functions to be applied to traffic in the network and provides information descriptive of the service-function chain to a classifier node.

Abstract: An example method for service node originated service chains in a network environment is provided and includes receiving a packet at a service node in a network environment that includes a plurality of service nodes and a central classifier, analyzing the packet for a service chain modification or a service chain initiation, classifying the packet at the service node to a new service chain based on the analysis, initiating the new service chain at the service node if the analysis indicates service chain initiation, and modifying an existing service chain for the packet to the new service chain if the analysis indicates service chain modification. In specific embodiments, the analysis includes applying classification logic specific to the service node. Some embodiments, service node attributes and order of service nodes in substantially all service chains configured in the network may be received from a central controller.

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.

Abstract: Aspects of the embodiments are directed to systems, methods, and computer program products to program, via a northbound interface, a mapping between an endpoint identifier (EID) and a routing locator (RLOC) directly into a mapping database at a mapping system; receive, from a first tunneling router associated with a first virtual network, a mapping request to a second virtual network, the first router compliant with a Locator/ID Separation Protocol, the mapping request comprising an EID tuple that includes a source identifier and a destination identifier; identify an RLOC based, at least in part, on the destination identifier of the EID tuple from the mapping database; and transmit the RLOC to the first tunneling router implementing an high level policy that has been dynamically resolved into a state of the mapping database.

Abstract: A controller that is in communication with the plurality of network nodes establishes a service path for a service chain defined by an ordered sequence of service functions to be performed at respective ones of one or more of the plurality of network nodes. The controller assigns a predetermined service path identifier and a predetermined service index value for a segment of the service chain that includes only one or more network nodes not capable of decapsulating packets to extract a network service header so as to designate the one or more network nodes determined not capable of decapsulating packets to extract the network service header as a single service hop segment in the service chain.

Abstract: Techniques are presented to enable the instantiation of a service chain that is comprised of service functions belonging to one or more administrative domains. A service chain consisting of one or more service functions in one administrative domain is made available to another administrative domain through an advertisement. This enables the building of inter-domain service chains without the need to share between the administrative domains details about the service chains and service functions in the respective administrative domains.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques performed in a network comprising a plurality of network nodes each configured to apply one or more service functions to traffic that passes the respective network nodes in a service path. At a network node, an indication is received of a failure or degradation of one or more service functions or applications applied to traffic at the network node. Data descriptive of the failure or degradation is generated. A previous service hop network node at which a service function or application was applied to traffic in the service path is determined. The data descriptive of the failure or degradation is communicated to the previous service hop network node.