公开(公告)号：US10200293B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-05

申请号：US14884523

申请日：2015-10-15

Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hong Zhang ,  Louis Fourie

IPC: H04L12/801 ,  H04L29/06

Abstract: Dynamically by-passing a service function instance on a service chain after the service function instance has processed the first few packets of a traffic flow may improve the overall processing efficiency of the service chain. When using a control plane mechanism, a service function instance communicates a by-pass indication to a control plane entity to prompt the control plane entity to re-route remaining portions of the traffic flow around the service function instance. When using a data plane mechanism, a service function instance includes a by-pass indication in a service chain header (SCH) of a packet in a traffic flow, and forwards the packet to a data plane entity. The by-pass indication will prompt the data plane entity to re-route remaining portions of the traffic flow around the service function instance.

公开(公告)号：US09674080B2

公开(公告)日：2017-06-06

申请号：US14318459

申请日：2014-06-27

Applicant: FUTUREWEI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Hong Zhang ,  Louis Fourie

IPC: H04L12/28 ,  H04L12/725 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04L12/935 ,  H04L29/08 ,  H04L12/741 ,  H04L12/715 ,  H04L12/717

CPC classification number: H04L45/306 ,  H04L45/42 ,  H04L45/64 ,  H04L45/74 ,  H04L49/3009 ,  H04L67/2819 ,  H04L69/22

Abstract: A method for managing a chain of service appliances. A method for interoperating with a legacy service appliance which does not understand/interpret the service chain header format. The method specifies a proxy device which receives a data packet with chain header that contains a chain ID. The chain ID identifies a particular service chain of network services to be performed on the data packet by a plurality of service appliances. The method removes a chain header from the data packet. The method sends the data packet to the service appliance via a logical port that corresponds to the data packet's chain ID. The method includes receiving the data packet back from the service appliance via the logical port. Lastly, the method includes restoring the chain header in the data packet based upon the logical port through which the data packet is received.

公开(公告)号：US20200236035A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-23

申请号：US16840754

申请日：2020-04-06

Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hong Zhang ,  Louis Fourie

IPC: H04L12/725 ,  H04L29/08 ,  H04L29/06

Abstract: Metadata may be embedded in a service chain header (SCH) appended to a packet that is forwarded over a service chain path. The metadata may include information that is used to process the packet at a downstream service function chain (SFC) entity on the service chain path. The metadata TLV field may identify a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity. For example, the metadata TLV field may instruct the downstream SFC entity to drop the packet, to redirect the packet (or a traffic flow associated with the packet), to mirror a traffic flow, to terminate a communication connection, to start or stop a packet accounting, and/or to apply a higher grade of service. Alternatively, the metadata TLV field specifies an OAM service action list that identifies service actions that have been performed on the packet.

公开(公告)号：US20180302319A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-18

申请号：US16009521

申请日：2018-06-15

Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hong Zhang ,  Louis Fourie

IPC: H04L12/725 ,  H04L12/701

Abstract: Metadata may be embedded in a service chain header (SCH) appended to a packet that is forwarded over a service chain path. The metadata may include information that is used to process the packet at a downstream service function chain (SFC) entity on the service chain path. The metadata TLV field may identify a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity. For example, the metadata TLV field may instruct the downstream SFC entity to drop the packet, to redirect the packet (or a traffic flow associated with the packet), to mirror a traffic flow, to terminate a communication connection, to start or stop a packet accounting, and/or to apply a higher grade of service. In another embodiment, the metadata TLV field specifies an OAM service action list that identifies service actions that have been performed on the packet.

公开(公告)号：US11411863B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-09

申请号：US16840754

申请日：2020-04-06

Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hong Zhang ,  Louis Fourie

IPC: H04L45/30 ,  H04L45/302 ,  H04L67/561 ,  H04L67/288 ,  H04L69/22 ,  H04L45/00

Abstract: Metadata may be embedded in a service chain header (SCH) appended to a packet that is forwarded over a service chain path. The metadata may include information that is used to process the packet at a downstream service function chain (SFC) entity on the service chain path. The metadata TLV field may identify a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity. For example, the metadata TLV field may instruct the downstream SFC entity to drop the packet, to redirect the packet (or a traffic flow associated with the packet), to mirror a traffic flow, to terminate a communication connection, to start or stop a packet accounting, and/or to apply a higher grade of service. Alternatively, the metadata TLV field specifies an OAM service action list that identifies service actions that have been performed on the packet.

公开(公告)号：US10003530B2

公开(公告)日：2018-06-19

申请号：US14806351

申请日：2015-07-22

Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hong Zhang ,  Louis Fourie

IPC: H04L12/725 ,  H04L12/701

CPC classification number: H04L45/306 ,  H04L45/00

Abstract: Metadata may be embedded in a service chain header (SCH) appended to a packet that is forwarded over a service chain path. The metadata may include information that is used to process the packet at a downstream service function chain (SFC) entity on the service chain path. The metadata TLV field may identify a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity. For example, the metadata TLV field may instruct the downstream SFC entity to drop the packet, to redirect the packet (or a traffic flow associated with the packet), to mirror a traffic flow, to terminate a communication connection, to start or stop a packet accounting, and/or to apply a higher grade of service. In another embodiment, the metadata TLV field specifies an OAM service action list that identifies service actions that have been performed on the packet.

公开(公告)号：US20160112337A1

公开(公告)日：2016-04-21

申请号：US14884523

申请日：2015-10-15

Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hong Zhang ,  Louis Fourie

IPC: H04L12/801 ,  H04L29/06

CPC classification number: H04L47/35 ,  H04L47/17 ,  H04L69/22

Abstract: Dynamically by-passing a service function instance on a service chain after the service function instance has processed the first few packets of a traffic flow may improve the overall processing efficiency of the service chain. When using a control plane mechanism, a service function instance communicates a by-pass indication to a control plane entity to prompt the control plane entity to re-route remaining portions of the traffic flow around the service function instance. When using a data plane mechanism, a service function instance includes a by-pass indication in a service chain header (SCH) of a packet in a traffic flow, and forwards the packet to a data plane entity. The by-pass indication will prompt the data plane entity to re-route remaining portions of the traffic flow around the service function instance.

Abstract translation: 在服务功能实例处理流量流的前几个数据包之后，在服务链上动态地旁路服务功能实例可以提高服务链的整体处理效率。 当使用控制平面机制时，服务功能实例将旁路指示传达到控制平面实体，以提示控制平面实体重新路由服务功能实例周围的业务流的剩余部分。 当使用数据平面机制时，服务功能实例在业务流中的分组的服务链头（SCH）中包括旁路指示，并将分组转发到数据平面实体。 旁路指示将提示数据平面实体重新路由服务功能实例周围的业务流的剩余部分。

公开(公告)号：US20160028640A1

公开(公告)日：2016-01-28

申请号：US14806351

申请日：2015-07-22

Applicant: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hong Zhang ,  Louis Fourie

IPC: H04L12/801 ,  H04L12/707 ,  H04L12/833

CPC classification number: H04L45/306 ,  H04L45/00

Abstract: Metadata may be embedded in a service chain header (SCH) appended to a packet that is forwarded over a service chain path. The metadata may include information that is used to process the packet at a downstream service function chain (SFC) entity on the service chain path. The metadata TLV field may identify a service action to be performed by a downstream SFC entity. For example, the metadata TLV field may instruct the downstream SFC entity to drop the packet, to redirect the packet (or a traffic flow associated with the packet), to mirror a traffic flow, to terminate a communication connection, to start or stop a packet accounting, and/or to apply a higher grade of service. In another embodiment, the metadata TLV field specifies an OAM service action list that identifies service actions that have been performed on the packet.

Abstract translation: 元数据可以嵌入在通过服务链路径转发的分组附加的服务链头（SCH）中。 元数据可以包括用于在服务链路径上的下游服务功能链（SFC）实体处理分组的信息。 元数据TLV字段可以标识由下游SFC实体执行的服务动作。 例如，元数据TLV字段可以指示下游SFC实体丢弃分组，以重定向分组（或与分组相关联的业务流），以镜像业务流，终止通信连接，以启动或停止 分组会计，和/或应用较高等级的服务。 在另一个实施例中，元数据TLV字段指定标识已经对分组执行的服务动作的OAM服务动作列表。