Virtual service domains
US8274973B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 2010 |
| Grant date | Sep 25, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/12
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In one embodiment, layer-2 (L2) ports of a network device may each be assigned to a particular virtual service domain (VSD). One or more virtual service engines (VSEs) may also be assigned in a particular order to each VSD, where each VSE is configured to apply a particular service to traffic traversing the VSE between ingress and egress service ports. Interconnecting the L2 ports and the ingress and egress service ports is an illustrative virtual Ethernet module (VEM), which directs traffic it receives according to rules as follows: a) into a destination VSD via the one or more correspondingly assigned VSEs in the particular order; b) out of a current VSD via the one or more correspondingly assigned VSEs in a reverse order from the particular order; or c) within a current VSD without redirection through a VSE.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.