Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for processing network packets in a computer network. According to the teachings hereof, distributed computing resources can be organized into a service platform to provide certain value-add services—such as deep packet inspection, transcoding, lawful intercept, or otherwise—using a service function chaining model. The platform can be used operate on traffic coming from or going to a mobile network (or other target network) to the public Internet. The platform may send to the mobile network various kinds of metadata related to or reflecting the services it is performing and/or the traffic that is flowing to or from the mobile network, among other things.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for processing network packet data in a distributed computing platform, such as a content delivery network, to provide services to mobile network operators and/or their mobile subscribers. According to the teachings hereof, distributed computing resources can be organized into a service platform to provide certain value-add services—such as deep packet inspection, transcoding, lawful intercept, or otherwise—using a service function chaining model. The platform resources are preferably located external to the mobile network, on the public Internet. The platform preferably operates on and processes traffic entering or exiting the mobile network. In some embodiments, the service platform is able to establish an encrypted channel between itself and the mobile client through the mobile network, e.g., using content provider key and certificate information available to the platform (but which may not be available to the mobile network operator).

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for processing network packets in a computer network, including in particular the processing of subscriber traffic in a mobile network. According to the teachings hereof, distributed computing resources can be organized into a service platform to provide certain value-add services—such as deep packet inspection, transcoding, lawful intercept, or otherwise—using a service function chaining model. The platform may operate on traffic egressing or ingressing to a mobile network (or other target network) to the public Internet. The service platform can alternatively be deployed wholly or partially within a target network. Service function chains may be built dynamically based on configured platform policies, packet contents, computing resource status, load, network location, current network conditions, and the like.