Service Function Chain Branching With Energy Metadata
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing service function chains lack solutions for incorporating sustainability-based energy-optimized criteria in their creation, maintenance, and processing of network traffic.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating energy sustainability metadata into network traffic headers to guide service function forwarders in selecting and branching network traffic to service functions that meet energy efficiency or sustainability requirements, using Network Service Headers, Segment Routing, and Multi-Protocol Label Switching protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If service function chains process network traffic without sustainability criteria, then traffic processing is simple and fast, but energy consumption is high and environmental impact is negative
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding sustainability criteria and energy efficiency information into network traffic headers before traffic processing. Service function forwarders use pre-configured sustainability metadata to make forwarding decisions, avoiding real-time complexity while achieving energy-optimized routing through advance preparation of sustainability data in packet headers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sustainability metadata as an intermediary element carried in network headers. This metadata acts as a mediator between traffic sources and service functions, enabling energy-aware routing decisions without requiring complex direct communication or coordination between network elements. The metadata carries sustainability information that guides forwarding decisions
2Loss of energy
If service function chains incorporate sustainability metadata processing, then energy efficiency improves, but processing complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making sustainability metadata processing optional and localized to specific network segments or traffic types. Not all packets require sustainability processing - only those with specific header indicators trigger metadata evaluation. This allows energy efficiency improvements in critical paths while maintaining simple processing in other areas, reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of packet header structure by adding sustainability metadata fields. This parameter change enables energy-aware routing by providing forwarders with additional information about service function energy characteristics. The header extension allows expressing sustainability requirements without fundamentally changing the core packet processing architecture
3Use of energy by moving object
If service function forwarders evaluate sustainability criteria for each packet, then energy optimization is maximized, but processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by evaluating sustainability criteria only for specific packets that require energy optimization, rather than all packets. The system uses header indicators to identify packets that should undergo sustainability-based routing, allowing most traffic to flow through standard fast paths while selected traffic receives energy-optimized handling, achieving a balance between optimization and speed
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques to add environmental-impact and energy sustainability criteria and support to service function chains (SFCs). These techniques enabling steering of network traffic that carries energy sustainability related metadata within in an SFC based on energy sustainability or “green criteria.” This allows for achieving, for example, so-called “green Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM)”, whether realized with Network Service Header (NSH), Segment Routing, Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS), etc. In other words, these techniques enhance service functions (SFs) and SFCs to allow for finding an energy sustainable or green path in an SFC, and to allow for conveying environmental information as in-line metadata.