Patent ID: 9344350
Filing Date: 2016-05-17
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method comprising: storing a service topology route for routing traffic through a plurality of services, at a service provider edge node interconnecting at least two zones comprising a plurality of hosts; propagating the service topology route through a plurality of service provider edge nodes to create a service chain comprising a sequence of the service provider edge nodes and corresponding service nodes for inter-zone traffic, said service chain comprising a series of service functions that said inter-zone traffic traverses; and forwarding said inter-zone traffic on a service path and through said series of service functions defined by said service chain; wherein the service topology route identifies a virtual service topology and creates a forwarding state at the service provider edge nodes in said service chain, said virtual service topology interconnecting the zones to constrain traffic flow in a virtual private network between the zones for application of services.