NSH Metadata for Overlay-Aware Service Functions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network service chains often lack awareness of network overlays and segmentation technologies, leading to inadequate application of services as this information is not included in the Network Service Headers (NSH) or is stripped during encapsulation, resulting in service functions being unable to apply network services based on the specific overlay or segmentation associated with packets.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating network overlay and segmentation identifiers into the metadata fields of the NSH, allowing service functions to apply services tailored to the identified overlay or segmentation, and enabling translation between different technologies, thereby ensuring that packets conform to the appropriate network overlay or segmentation protocol.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If network overlay and segmentation information is stripped during encapsulation, then packet processing is simplified, but service functions lose awareness of overlay/segmentation identifiers needed for policy application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential overlay/segmentation identifier information from the original encapsulation and places it into the NSH metadata field. This selective extraction maintains service function awareness while simplifying the overall packet structure by removing redundant encapsulation layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The NSH metadata field acts as an intermediary that carries overlay/segmentation identifier information between the encapsulation process and service functions. This intermediary preserves the necessary information without requiring service functions to understand the original encapsulation format.
2Reliability
If service functions must understand specific encapsulation technologies, then accurate policy application is achieved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The NSH metadata field provides a universal mechanism that works across different overlay and segmentation technologies (VLAN, VxLAN, GRE, etc.). Service functions only need to understand the standardized metadata format rather than multiple proprietary encapsulation formats, achieving technology-agnostic policy application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation by extracting overlay/segmentation identifiers from their original encapsulation-specific formats and standardizing them into a common metadata parameter structure. This parameter transformation enables uniform processing regardless of the source technology.
3Loss of information
If network service headers include comprehensive metadata, then service function awareness is improved, but header size and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential overlay/segmentation identifier from the full encapsulation structure, placing just this critical piece of information in the NSH metadata field. This selective inclusion provides necessary awareness while minimizing header overhead by excluding unnecessary encapsulation details.
Data Source
AI summary
A packet is received at a device configured to provide a service function within a network service chain. A network overlay and/or segmentation identifier is extracted from a header of the packet. The service function is applied to the packet according to policies specific to a network overlay and/or segmentation identified in the network overlay and/or segmentation identifier.