Patent ID: 9258243
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method comprising: in a network comprising a plurality of network nodes each configured to apply a service function to traffic that passes through the respective network nodes, a controller generating information for a first service chain that involves application to traffic of one or more service functions at corresponding ones of the plurality of network nodes along a forward path through the one or more network nodes, wherein the generated information for the first service chain including a forward chain identifier that identifies all service functions and their respective locations along the forward path; identifying one or more of the service functions within the first service chain that are stateful and require flow state information be maintained such that forward traffic flows and reverse traffic flows be forwarded through same functions at same locations; when one or more of the service functions of the first service chain are stateful and require flow state information be maintained such that forward traffic flows and reverse traffic flows be forwarded through same functions at same locations, generating information for a second service chain through the one or more network nodes for the one or more stateful service functions in a reverse path, wherein the generated information for the second service chain including a reverse chain identifier that identifies all service functions and their respective locations along the reverse path; and binding the forward chain identifier for the first service chain with the reverse chain identifier for the second service chain.