METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADAPTIVE AND CONTEXT-AWARE SERVICE FUNCTION CHAINING IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

摘要

A technique is provided for adaptively performing service function chaining based on network context. The technique includes receiving a request comprising a flexible SFC template (FST) for provisioning an SFC of a plurality of service functions (SFs). A service function path (SFP) is determined responsive to receipt of data packets corresponding to a pre-defined flow to be transmitted over the network. Monitoring of a pre-defined plurality of parameters associated with the SFP and a network context is performed after implementing the SFP. Based on the monitoring of the pre-defined plurality of parameters and SFP modification criteria, a requirement for modifying the SFP is identified. Responsive to the identification, the SFP is modified and the performance of the modified SFP is monitored based on one or more of the plurality of parameters, a network context after modifying the SFP, and a pre-defined plurality of service performance thresholds.