Abstract: In one embodiment, a system, method, and computer program product are disclosed for authenticating a packet received from a client node, storing the results of the authentication in a cache memory of a service classifier node, and including the results of the authentication in a network service header of a packet before forwarding the packet to downstream service nodes. In one embodiment, the initial authentication is performed in conjunction with an authentication node.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system, method, and computer program product are disclosed for authenticating a packet received from a client node, storing the results of the authentication in a cache memory of a service classifier node, and including the results of the authentication in a network service header of a packet before forwarding the packet to downstream service nodes. In one embodiment, the initial authentication is performed in conjunction with an authentication node.

Abstract: In one implementation, a cloud connector obtains location information for a proxy server of a security as a service (SecaaS) function. The cloud connector receives a content request from a user device for content hosted in a content delivery network (CDN). A domain name service (DNS) request, with location information, is forwarded to a DNS authoritative server. An identification of a downstream CDN server is received from the DNS authoritative server. The identification of the downstream CDN is based on the location information for the proxy server of the SecaaS function. The content is obtained from the downstream CDN server through the proxy server of the SecaaS function.