Distributing service function chain data and service function instance data in a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12289235-B2
Application number	US-202318329873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2023
Priority date	Sep 26, 2016
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

In some examples, a computing device comprises a first service function instance to apply a service function and a service function forwarder to: receive a first layer 3 routing protocol route advertisement that includes service function instance data for a second service function instance, the service function instance data indicating a service function type and a service identifier for the service function instance; receive a second layer 3 routing protocol route advertisement that includes service function chain data for a service function chain, the service function chain data indicating a service path identifier and one or more service function items; and send, to the second service function instance and based at least on determining a service function item of the one or more service function items indicates the second service function instance, a packet classified to the service function chain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A first computing device comprising processing circuitry having access to memory, the processing circuitry configured to:
receive a first route advertisement comprising a service identifier that indicates an instance of a service function among one or more instances of the service function and a service function type for the instance of the service function;
receive a second route advertisement that defines a specific path for a service function chain, wherein the second route advertisement specifies:
a service path identifier identifying the specific path for the service function chain; and
one or more service indexes, wherein each of the one or more service indexes is associated with one or more service function instances, and wherein a first service index of the one or more service indexes comprises a service function type and a service identifier that, in combination, indicate the instance of the service function;

map the service function type and the service identifier to the instance of the service function indicated in the first route advertisement; and
send, based at least in part on the mapping, to a second computing device that hosts the instance of the service function, a packet having a header that includes the service path identifier.

2. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the service identifier of the first route advertisement comprises a route distinguisher (RD).

3. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first route advertisement comprises data indicating that any instance of the one or more instances of the service function may be selected to send the packet.

4. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first route advertisement comprises a service function instance route advertisement.

5. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the second route advertisement comprises a service function chain route advertisement.

6. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more service indexes indicate an order of application of respective one or more service functions to the packet.

7. The first computing device of claim 1 ,
wherein a first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) UPDATE message comprises a first BGP path attribute that specifies the first route advertisement, and
wherein a second BGP UPDATE message comprises a second BGP path attribute that specifies the second route advertisement.

8. A first computing device comprising processing circuitry having access to memory, the processing circuitry configured to:
receive a first route advertisement comprising a service identifier that indicates an instance of a service function among one or more instances of the service function;
receive a second route advertisement that defines a specific path for a service function chain, wherein the second route advertisement specifies:
a service path identifier identifying the specific path for the service function chain; and
one or more service indexes, wherein each of the one or more service indexes is associated with one or more service function instances;

determine that a service index of the one or more service indexes of the second route advertisement indicates a service function of the one or more service functions that is a same type as a type of the service function of the instance indicated by the first route advertisement; and
identify, based on the determination, the instance of the service function; and
send, to the identified instance of the service function hosted by a second computing device, a packet having a header that includes the service path identifier.

9. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first computing device, a first route advertisement comprising a service identifier that indicates an instance of a service function among one or more instances of the service function and a service function type for the instance of the service function;
receiving, by the first computing device, a second route advertisement that defines a specific path for a service function chain, wherein the second route advertisement specifies:
a service path identifier identifying the specific path for the service function chain; and
one or more service indexes, wherein each of the one or more service indexes is associated with one or more service function instances, and wherein a first service index of the one or more service indexes comprises a service function type and a service identifier that, in combination, indicate the instance of the service function;

mapping, by the first computing device, the service function type and the service identifier to the instance of the service function indicated in the first route advertisement; and
sending, by the first computing device, based at least in part on the mapping, to a second computing device that hosts the instance of the service function, a packet having a header that includes the service path identifier.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the service identifier of the first route advertisement comprises a route distinguisher (RD).

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first route advertisement comprises data indicating that any instance of the one or more instances of the service function may be selected to send the packet.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first route advertisement comprises a service function instance route advertisement.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second route advertisement comprises a service function chain route advertisement.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more service indexes indicate an order of application of respective one or more service functions to the packet.

15. The method of claim 9 ,
wherein a first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) UPDATE message comprises a first BGP path attribute that specifies the first route advertisement, and
wherein a second BGP UPDATE message comprises a second BGP path attribute that specifies the second route advertisement.

16. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause processing circuitry of a first computing device to:
receive a first route advertisement comprising a service identifier that indicates an instance of a service function among one or more instances of the service function and a service function type for the instance of the service function;
receive a second route advertisement that defines a specific path for a service function chain, wherein the second route advertisement specifies:
a service path identifier identifying the specific path for the service function chain; and
one or more service indexes, wherein each of the one or more service indexes is associated with one or more service function instances, and wherein a first service index of the one or more service indexes comprises a service function type and a service identifier that, in combination, indicate the instance of the service function;

map the service function type and the service identifier to the instance of the service function indicated in the first route advertisement;
map the service function type and the service identifier to the instance of the service function indicated in the first route advertisement; and
send, based at least in part on the mapping, to a second computing device that hosts the instance of the service function, a packet having a header that includes the service path identifier.

17. The first computing device of claim 8 , wherein the service identifier of the first route advertisement comprises a route distinguisher (RD).

18. The fir

Assignees

• Juniper Networks Inc

Inventors

• Rosen Eric C
• Drake John E
• Mackie William Stuart
• Farrel Adrian John

Classifications

• H04L2212/00

  Encapsulation of packets · CPC title

• H04L69/325

  in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 (H04L69/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L45/74 Primary

  Address processing for routing · CPC title

• H04L45/38

  Flow based routing · CPC title

• H04L45/033

  by updating distance vector protocols · CPC title