Patent · US Active

Distributed service chaining in a network environment

US9407540B2 · kind B2 · utility

93Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 6, 2013
Grant dateAug 2, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 15, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L45/54
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An example method for distributed service chaining in a network environment is provided and includes receiving a packet belonging to a service chain in a distributed virtual switch (DVS) network environment, wherein the packet includes a network service header (NSH) indicating a service path identifier identifying the service chain and a location of the packet on the service chain, evaluating a service forwarding table to determine a next service node based on the service path identifier and the location, with a plurality of different forwarding tables distributed across the DVS at a corresponding plurality of virtual Ethernet Modules (VEMs) associated with respective service nodes in the service chain, and forwarding the packet to the next service node, with substantially all services in the service chain provided sequentially to the packet in a single service loop on a service overlay.

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