Patent ID: 8442041
Filing Date: 2013-05-14
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: assigning ports of a network device to virtual service domains (VSDs), the ports coupled to a virtual Ethernet module (VEM) of the network device; associating each VSD with one or more virtual service engines (VSEs) in a particular order, each VSE configured to apply a particular service to traffic traversing the VSE, each VSE having ingress and egress service ports coupled to the VEM; receiving traffic at the VEM of the network device that is destined for a particular VSD, the traffic received on a port that has not been assigned to the particular VSD; forwarding the traffic that is destined for the particular VSD to the particular VSD via the one or more VSEs associated with the particular VSD such that the traffic that is destined for the particular VSD traverses the one or more VSEs associated with the particular VSD in the particular order; receiving traffic at the VEM of the network device that is from the particular VSD and destined for a port that has not been assigned to the particular VSD; and forwarding the traffic from the particular VSD such that the traffic from the particular VSD traverses the one or more VSEs associated with the particular VSD in a reverse order from the particular order, bypasses the one or more VSEs associated with the particular VSD, or traverses one or more different VSEs, to reach the port that has not been assigned to the particular VSD.