Patent · US Active

Network address translation offload to network infrastructure for service chains in a network environment

US9363183B2 · kind B2 · utility

36Cited by
4References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 10, 2014
Grant dateJun 7, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L47/2483
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An example method for network address translation (NAT) offload to network infrastructure for service chains in a network environment is provided and includes receiving a packet at a network infrastructure in a network comprising a plurality of service nodes interconnected through the network infrastructure, each service node executing at least one service function, identifying the packet as belonging to a first flow based on a cookie in a network service header of the packet that indicates a service chain that includes a sequence of service functions to be executed on the packet at the service nodes, determining that a service function in the service chain is to be offloaded from one of the service nodes to the network infrastructure for subsequent packets of the first flow, and executing the offloaded service function at the network infrastructure for subsequent packets of the first flow.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.