System and method for improved service chaining
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. An apparatus having logic to receive an incoming packet associated with a first service function chain (SFC), having a first service path identifier (SPI); determine that the incoming packet has a first service index (SI), and that a next-hop SI identifies a non-reactive service function (NRSF); receive a duplicate packet of the incoming packet; rewrite a service header of the duplicate packet to identify a second SFC having a second SPI; and alter the first SI of the incoming packet to identify a next reactive service function in the first SFC.
1. A network computing apparatus comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive an incoming packet associated with a first service function chain;
parse the first service function chain to determine whether a next hop service function for the incoming packet is a non-reactive service function;
when the next hop service function is identified as the non-reactive service function, modify the incoming packet to include a replicate flag, create a duplicate packet, and forward the duplicate packet to the non-reactive service function, the replicate flag indicating the next hop service function is the non-reactive service function; and
when the next hop service function is not identified as the non-reactive service function, forward the incoming packet to the next service function.
2. The network computing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein forwarding the duplicate packet to the non-reactive service function includes sending the incoming packet to a non-reactive service function chain.
3. The network computing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the non-reactive service function chain includes only a single service function.
4. The network computing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the non-reactive service function chain includes a plurality of non-reactive service functions.
5. The network computing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of non-reactive service functions includes at least one service function that is locally reactive.
6. The network computing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein identifying the next hop service function as the non-reactive service function includes matching the replicate flag via a table.
7. The network computing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein parsing the first service function chain to determine whether the next hop service function for the incoming packet is the non-reactive service function includes reading a value associated with a service path identifier.
8. A method comprising:
receiving an incoming packet associated with a first service function chain;
parsing the first service function chain to determine whether a next hop service function for the incoming packet is a non-reactive service function;
when the next hop service function is identified as the non-reactive service function, modifying the incoming packet to include a replicate flag, creating a duplicate packet, and forwarding the duplicate packet to the non-reactive service function, the replicate flag indicating the next hop service function is the non-reactive service function; and
when the next hop service function is not identified as the non-reactive service function, forwarding the incoming packet to the next service function.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forwarding of the duplicate packet to the non-reactive service function includes sending the incoming packet to a non-reactive service function chain.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the non-reactive service function chain includes only a single service function.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the non-reactive service function chain includes a plurality of non-reactive service functions.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of non-reactive service functions includes at least one service function that is locally reactive.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying the next hop service function as the non-reactive service function includes matching the replicate flag via a table.
14. One or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums having stored thereon executing instructions for providing one or more processors configured to:
receive an incoming packet associated with a first service function chain;
parse the first service function chain to determine whether a next hop service function for the incoming packet is a non-reactive service function;
when the next hop service function is identified as the non-reactive service function, modify the incoming packet to include a replicate flag, create a duplicate packet, and forward the duplicate packet to the non-reactive service function, the replicate flag indicating the next hop service function is the non-reactive service function; and
when the next hop service function is not identified as the non-reactive service function, forward the incoming packet to the next service function.
15. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums of claim 14 , wherein forwarding the duplicate packet to the non-reactive service function includes sending the incoming packet to a non-reactive service function chain.
16. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums of claim 15 , wherein the non-reactive service function chain includes only a single service function.
17. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums of claim 16 , wherein the single service function is followed by a “drop” action.
18. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums of claim 15 , wherein the non-reactive service function chain includes a plurality of non-reactive service functions.
19. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of non-reactive service functions includes at least one service function that is locally reactive or the plurality of non-reactive service functions is followed by a “drop” action.
20. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums of claim 14 , wherein identifying the next hop service function as the non-reactive service function includes matching the replicate flag via a table.