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INFORMATIONAL
Errata Exist
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                   J. Halpern, Ed.Request for Comments: 7665                                      EricssonCategory: Informational                                C. Pignataro, Ed.ISSN: 2070-1721                                                    Cisco                                                            October 2015Service Function Chaining (SFC) ArchitectureAbstract   This document describes an architecture for the specification,   creation, and ongoing maintenance of Service Function Chains (SFCs)   in a network.  It includes architectural concepts, principles, and   components used in the construction of composite services through   deployment of SFCs, with a focus on those to be standardized in the   IETF.  This document does not propose solutions, protocols, or   extensions to existing protocols.Status of This Memo   This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is   published for informational purposes.   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force   (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has   received public review and has been approved for publication by the   Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Not all documents   approved by the IESG are a candidate for any level of Internet   Standard; seeSection 2 of RFC 5741.   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained athttp://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7665.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 1]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015Copyright Notice   Copyright (c) 2015 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the   document authors.  All rights reserved.   This document is subject toBCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of   publication of this document.  Please review these documents   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as   described in the Simplified BSD License.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 2]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015Table of Contents1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41.1.  Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41.2.  Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51.3.  Specification of Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51.4.  Definition of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62.  Architectural Concepts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82.1.  Service Function Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82.2.  Service Function Chain Symmetry . . . . . . . . . . . . .92.3.  Service Function Paths  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10       2.3.1.  Service Function Chains, Service Function Paths, and               Rendered Service Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113.  Architecture Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124.  Core SFC Architecture Components  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134.1.  SFC Encapsulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144.2.  Service Function (SF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154.3.  Service Function Forwarder (SFF)  . . . . . . . . . . . .154.3.1.  Transport-Derived SFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174.4.  SFC-Enabled Domain  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174.5.  Network Overlay and Network Components  . . . . . . . . .184.6.  SFC Proxy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184.7.  Classification  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194.8.  Reclassification and Branching  . . . . . . . . . . . . .194.9.  Shared Metadata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205.  Additional Architectural Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215.1.  The Role of Policy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215.2.  SFC Control Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215.3.  Resource Control  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225.4.  Infinite Loop Detection and Avoidance . . . . . . . . . .235.5.  Load-Balancing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235.6.  MTU and Fragmentation Considerations  . . . . . . . . . .245.7.  SFC OAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255.8.  Resilience and Redundancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29   Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30   Contributors  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 3]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 20151.  Introduction   The delivery of end-to-end services often requires various service   functions.  These include traditional network service functions such   as firewalls and traditional IP Network Address Translators (NATs),   as well as application-specific functions.  The definition and   instantiation of an ordered set of service functions and subsequent   "steering" of traffic through them is termed Service Function   Chaining (SFC).   This document describes an architecture used for the creation and   ongoing maintenance of Service Function Chains (SFCs) in a network.   It includes architectural concepts, principles, and components, with   a focus on those to be standardized in the IETF.  SFCs enable   composite services that are constructed from one or more service   functions.   An overview of the issues associated with the deployment of end-to-   end service function chains, abstract sets of service functions and   their ordering constraints that create a composite service, and the   subsequent "steering" of traffic flows through said service   functions, is described in [RFC7498].   The current service function deployment models are relatively static,   coupled to network topology and physical resources, greatly reducing   or eliminating the ability of an operator to introduce new services   or dynamically create service function chains.  This architecture   presents a model addressing the problematic aspects of existing   service deployments, including topological independence and   configuration complexity.1.1.  Scope   This document defines the architecture for Service Function Chaining   (SFC) as standardized in the IETF.  The SFC architecture is   predicated on topological independence from the underlying forwarding   topology.   In this architecture, packets are classified on ingress for handling   by the required set of Service Functions (SFs) in the SFC-enabled   domain and are then forwarded through that set of functions for   processing by each function in turn.  Packets may be reclassified as   a result of this processing.   The architecture described in this document is independent of the   planned usage of the network and deployment context and thus, for   example, is applicable to both fixed and mobile networks as well as   being useful in many data center applications.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 4]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   The architecture described herein is assumed to be applicable to a   single network administrative domain.  While it is possible for the   architectural principles and components to be applied to inter-domain   SFCs, these are left for future study.1.2.  Assumptions   The following assumptions are made:   o  There is no standard definition or characterization applicable to      all SFs, and thus the architecture considers each SF as an opaque      processing element.   o  There is no global or standard list of SFs enabled in a given      administrative domain.  The set of SFs enabled in a given domain      is a function of the currently active services that may vary with      time and according to the networking environment.   o  There is no global or standard SF chaining logic.  The ordered set      of SFs that needs to be applied to deliver a given service is      specific to each administrative entity.   o  The chaining of SFs and the criteria to invoke them are specific      to each administrative entity that operates an SF-enabled domain.   o  Several SF chaining policies can be simultaneously applied within      an administrative domain to meet various business requirements.   o  The underlay is assumed to provide the necessary connectivity to      interconnect the Service Function Forwarders (SFFs; seeSection 1.4), but the architecture places no constraints on how      that connectivity is realized other than it have the required      bandwidth, latency, and jitter to support the SFC.   o  No assumption is made on how Forwarding Information Bases (FIBs)      and Routing Information Bases (RIBs) of involved nodes are      populated.   o  How to bind traffic to a given SF chain is policy-based.1.3.  Specification of Requirements   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this   document are to be interpreted as described in [RFC2119].Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 5]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 20151.4.  Definition of Terms   Network Service:  An offering provided by an operator that is        delivered using one or more service functions.  This may also be        referred to as a "composite service".  The term "service" is        used to denote a "network service" in the context of this        document.        Note: Beyond this document, the term "service" is overloaded        with varying definitions.  For example, to some a service is an        offering composed of several elements within the operator's        network, whereas for others a service, or more specifically a        network service, is a discrete element such as a "firewall".        Traditionally, such services (in the latter sense) host a set of        service functions and have a network locator where the service        is hosted.   Classification:  Locally instantiated matching of traffic flows        against policy for subsequent application of the required set of        network service functions.  The policy may be customer/network/        service specific.   Classifier:  An element that performs Classification.   Service Function Chain (SFC):  A service function chain defines an        ordered set of abstract service functions and ordering        constraints that must be applied to packets and/or frames and/or        flows selected as a result of classification.  An example of an        abstract service function is "a firewall".  The implied order        may not be a linear progression as the architecture allows for        SFCs that copy to more than one branch, and also allows for        cases where there is flexibility in the order in which service        functions need to be applied.  The term "service chain" is often        used as shorthand for service function chain.   Service Function (SF):  A function that is responsible for specific        treatment of received packets.  A Service Function can act at        various layers of a protocol stack (e.g., at the network layer        or other OSI layers).  As a logical component, a service        function can be realized as a virtual element or be embedded in        a physical network element.  One or more Service Functions can        be embedded in the same network element.  Multiple occurrences        of the service function can exist in the same administrative        domain.        One or more service functions can be involved in the delivery of        added-value services.  A non-exhaustive list of abstract service        functions includes: firewalls, WAN and application acceleration,Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 6]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015        Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), Lawful Intercept (LI), server load        balancing, NAT44 [RFC3022], NAT64 [RFC6146], NPTv6 [RFC6296],        HOST_ID injection, HTTP Header Enrichment functions, and TCP        optimizer.        An SF may be SFC encapsulation aware (that is, it receives and        acts on information in the SFC encapsulation) or unaware (in        which case, data forwarded to the SF does not contain the SFC        encapsulation).  This is often referred to as "SFC aware" and        "SFC unaware", respectively.   Service Function Forwarder (SFF):  A service function forwarder is        responsible for forwarding traffic to one or more connected        service functions according to information carried in the SFC        encapsulation, as well as handling traffic coming back from the        SF.  Additionally, an SFF is responsible for delivering traffic        to a classifier when needed and supported, transporting traffic        to another SFF (in the same or different type of overlay), and        terminating the Service Function Path (SFP).   Metadata:  Provides the ability to exchange context information        between classifiers and SFs, and among SFs.   Service Function Path (SFP):  The service function path is a        constrained specification of where packets assigned to a certain        service function path must go.  While it may be so constrained        as to identify the exact locations, it can also be less        specific.  The SFP provides a level of indirection between the        fully abstract notion of service chain as a sequence of abstract        service functions to be delivered, and the fully specified        notion of exactly which SFF/SFs the packet will visit when it        actually traverses the network.  By allowing the control        components to specify this level of indirection, the operator        may control the degree of SFF/SF selection authority that is        delegated to the network.   SFC Encapsulation:  The SFC encapsulation provides, at a minimum, SFP        identification, and is used by the SFC-aware functions, such as        the SFF and SFC-aware SFs.  The SFC encapsulation is not used        for network packet forwarding.  In addition to SFP        identification, the SFC encapsulation carries metadata including        data-plane context information.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 7]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   Rendered Service Path (RSP):  Within an SFP, packets themselves are        of course transmitted from and to specific places in the        network, visiting a specific sequence of SFFs and SFs.  This        sequence of actual visits by a packet to specific SFFs and SFs        in the network is known as the Rendered Service Path (RSP).        This definition is included here for use by later documents,        such as when solutions may need to discuss the actual sequence        of locations the packets visit.   SFC-Enabled Domain:  A network or region of a network that implements        SFC.  An SFC-enabled domain is limited to a single network        administrative domain.   SFC Proxy:  Removes and inserts SFC encapsulation on behalf of an        SFC-unaware service function.  SFC proxies are logical elements.2.  Architectural Concepts   The following sections describe the foundational concepts of service   function chaining and the SFC architecture.   Service function chaining enables the creation of composite (network)   services that consist of an ordered set of SFs that must be applied   to packets and/or frames and/or flows selected as a result of   classification.  Each SF is referenced using an identifier that is   unique within an SF-enabled domain.   Service function chaining is a concept that provides for more than   just the application of an ordered set of SFs to selected traffic;   rather, it describes a method for deploying SFs in a way that enables   dynamic ordering and topological independence of those SFs as well as   the exchange of metadata between participating entities.2.1.  Service Function Chains   In most networks, services are constructed as abstract sequences of   SFs that represent SFCs.  At a high level, an SFC is an abstracted   view of a service that specifies the set of required SFs as well as   the order in which they must be executed.  Graphs, as illustrated in   Figure 1, define an SFC, where each graph node represents the   required existence of at least one abstract SF.  Such graph nodes   (SFs) can be part of zero, one, or many SFCs.  A given graph node   (SF) can appear one time or multiple times in a given SFC.   SFCs can start from the origination point of the service function   graph (i.e., node 1 in Figure 1), or from any subsequent node in the   graph.  As shown, SFs may therefore become branching nodes in the   graph, with those SFs selecting edges that move traffic to one orHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 8]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   more branches.  The top and middle graphs depict such a case, where a   second classification event occurs after node 2, and a new graph is   selected (i.e., node 3 instead of node 6).  The bottom graph   highlights the concept of a cycle, in which a given SF (e.g., node 7   in the depiction) can be visited more than once within a given   service chain.  An SFC can have more than one terminus.     ,-+-.         ,---.          ,---.          ,---.    /     \       /     \        /     \        /     \   (   1   )+--->(   2   )+---->(   6   )+---->(   8   )    \     /       \     /        \     /        \     /     `---'         `---'          `---'          `---'     ,-+-.         ,---.          ,---.          ,---.          ,---.    /     \       /     \        /     \        /     \        /     \   (   1   )+--->(   2   )+---->(   3   )+---->(   7   )+---->(   9   )    \     /       \     /        \     /        \     /        \     /     `---'         `---'          `---'          `---'          `---'     ,-+-.         ,---.          ,---.          ,---.          ,---.    /     \       /     \        /     \        /     \        /     \   (   1   )+--->(   7   )+---->(   8   )+---->(   4   )+---->(   7   )    \     /       \     /        \     /        \     /        \     /     `---'         `---'          `---'          `---'          `---'                  Figure 1: Service Function Chain Graphs   The concepts of classification, reclassification, and branching are   covered in subsequent sections of this architecture (see Sections4.7   and 4.8).2.2.  Service Function Chain Symmetry   SFCs may be unidirectional or bidirectional.  A unidirectional SFC   requires that traffic be forwarded through the ordered SFs in one   direction (sf1 -> sf2 -> sf3), whereas a bidirectional SFC requires a   symmetric path (sf1 -> sf2 -> sf3 and sf3 -> sf2 -> sf1), and in   which the SF instances are the same in opposite directions.  A hybrid   SFC has attributes of both unidirectional and bidirectional SFCs;   that is to say some SFs require symmetric traffic, whereas other SFs   do not process reverse traffic or are independent of the   corresponding forward traffic.   SFCs may contain cycles; that is traffic may need to traverse one or   more SFs within an SFC more than once.  Solutions will need to ensure   suitable disambiguation for such situations.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                     [Page 9]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   The architectural allowance that is made for SFPs that delegate   choice to the network for which SFs and/or SFFs a packet will visit   creates potential issues here.  A solution that allows such   delegation needs to also describe how the solution ensures that those   service chains requiring service function chain symmetry can achieve   that.   Further, there are state trade-offs in symmetry.  Symmetry may be   realized in several ways depending on the SFF and classifier   functionality.  In some cases, "mirrored" classification (i.e., from   Source to Destination and from Destination to Source) policy may be   deployed, whereas in others shared state between classifiers may be   used to ensure that symmetric flows are correctly identified, then   steered along the required SFP.  At a high level, there are various   common cases.  In a non-exhaustive way, there can be for example:   o  A single classifier (or a small number of classifiers), in which      case both incoming and outgoing flows could be recognized at the      same classifier, so the synchronization would be feasible by      internal mechanisms internal to the classifier.   o  Stateful classifiers where several classifiers may be clustered      and share state.   o  Fully distributed classifiers, where synchronization needs to be      provided through unspecified means.   o  A classifier that learns state from the egress packets/flows that      is then used to provide state for the return packets/flow.   o  Symmetry may also be provided by stateful forwarding logic in the      SFF in some implementations.   This is a non-comprehensive list of common cases.2.3.  Service Function Paths   A Service Function Path (SFP) is a mechanism used by service chaining   to express the result of applying more granular policy and   operational constraints to the abstract requirements of a service   chain (SFC).  This architecture does not mandate the degree of   specificity of the SFP.  Architecturally, within the same SFC-enabled   domain, some SFPs may be fully specified, selecting exactly which SFF   and which SF are to be visited by packets using that SFP, while other   SFPs may be quite vague, deferring to the SFF the decisions about the   exact sequence of steps to be used to realize the SFC.  The   specificity may be anywhere in between these extremes.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 10]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   As an example of such an intermediate specificity, there may be two   SFPs associated with a given SFC, where one SFP specifies that any   order of SFF and SF may be used as long as it is within Data Center   1, and where the second SFP allows the same latitude, but only within   Data Center 2.   Thus, the policies and logic of SFP selection or creation (depending   upon the solution) produce what may be thought of as a constrained   version of the original SFC.  Since multiple policies may apply to   different traffic that uses the same SFC, it also follows that there   may be multiple SFPs associated with a single SFC.   The architecture allows for the same SF to be reachable through   multiple SFFs.  In these cases, some SFPs may constrain which SFF is   used to reach which SF, while some SFPs may leave that decision to   the SFF itself.   Further, the architecture allows for two or more SFs to be attached   to the same SFF, and possibly connected via internal means allowing   more effective communication.  In these cases, some solutions or   deployments may choose to use some form of internal inter-process or   inter-VM messaging (communication behind the virtual switching   element) that is optimized for such an environment.  This must be   coordinated with the SFF so that it can properly perform its job.   Implementation details of such mechanisms are considered out of scope   for this document, and can include a spectrum of methods: for   example, situations including all next-hops explicitly, others where   a list of possible next-hops is provided and the selection is local,   or cases with just an identifier, where all resolution is local.   This architecture also allows the same SF to be part of multiple   SFPs.2.3.1.  Service Function Chains, Service Function Paths, and Rendered        Service Path   As an example of this progressive refinement, consider a Service   Function Chain (SFC) that states that packets using this chain should   be delivered to a firewall and a caching engine.   A Service Function Path (SFP) could refine this, considering that   this architecture does not mandate the degree of specificity an SFP   has to have.  It might specify that the firewall and caching engine   are both to be in a specific data center (e.g., in DC1), or it might   specify exactly which instance of each firewall and caching engine is   to be used.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 11]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   The Rendered Service Path (RSP) is the actual sequence of SFFs and   SFs that the packets will actually visit.  So if the SFP picked the   DC, the RSP would be more specific.3.  Architecture Principles   Service function chaining is predicated on several key architectural   principles:   1.  Topological independence: No changes to the underlay network       forwarding topology -- implicit, or explicit -- are needed to       deploy and invoke SFs or SFCs.   2.  Plane separation: Dynamic realization of SFPs is separated from       packet handling operations (e.g., packet forwarding).   3.  Classification: Traffic that satisfies classification rules is       forwarded according to a specific SFP.  For example,       classification can be as simple as an explicit forwarding entry       that forwards all traffic from one address into the SFP.       Multiple classification points are possible within an SFC (i.e.,       forming a service graph), thus enabling changes/updates to the       SFC by SFs.       Classification can occur at varying degrees of granularity; for       example, classification can use a 5-tuple, a transport port or       set of ports, part of the packet payload, it can be the result of       high-level inspections, or it can come from external systems.   4.  Shared Metadata: Metadata/context data can be shared amongst SFs       and classifiers, between SFs, and between external systems and       SFs (e.g., orchestration).       One use of metadata is to provide and share the result of       classification (that occurs within the SFC-enabled domain, or       external to it) along an SFP.  For example, an external       repository might provide user/subscriber information to a service       chain classifier.  This classifier could in turn impose that       information in the SFC encapsulation for delivery to the       requisite SFs.  The SFs could in turn utilize the user/subscriber       information for local policy decisions.  Metadata can also share       SF output along the SFP.   5.  Service definition independence: The SFC architecture does not       depend on the details of SFs themselves.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 12]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   6.  Service function chain independence: The creation, modification,       or deletion of an SFC has no impact on other SFCs.  The same is       true for SFPs.   7.  Heterogeneous control/policy points: The architecture allows SFs       to use independent mechanisms (out of scope for this document) to       populate and resolve local policy and (if needed) local       classification criteria.4.  Core SFC Architecture Components   The SFC Architecture is built out of architectural building blocks   that are logical components; these logical components are   classifiers, Service Function Forwarders (SFFs), the Service   Functions (SFs) themselves, and SFC proxies.  While this architecture   describes functionally distinct logical components and promotes   transport independence, they could be realized and combined in   various ways in deployed products, and could be combined with an   overlay.   They are interconnected using the SFC encapsulation.  This results in   a high-level logical architecture of an SFC-enabled domain that   comprises:      o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      .  +--------------+                  +------------------~~~      .  |   Service    |       SFC        |  Service  +---+   +---+      .  |Classification|  Encapsulation   | Function  |sf1|...|sfn|   +---->|   Function   |+---------------->|   Path    +---+   +---+      .  +--------------+                  +------------------~~~      . SFC-enabled Domain      o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .               Figure 2: Service Function Chain Architecture   The following subsections provide details on each logical component   that form the basis of the SFC architecture.  A detailed overview of   how some of these architectural components interact is provided in   Figure 3:Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 13]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015          +----------------+                        +----------------+          |   SFC-aware    |                        |  SFC-unaware   |          |Service Function|                        |Service Function|          +-------+--------+                        +-------+--------+                  |                                         |            SFC Encapsulation                       No SFC Encapsulation                  |                  SFC                    |     +---------+  +----------------+ Encapsulation     +---------+     |SFC-Aware|-----------------+  \     +------------|SFC Proxy|     |    SF   | ... ----------+  \  \   /             +---------+     +---------+                \  \  \ /                               +-------+--------+                               |   SF Forwarder |                               |      (SFF)     |                               +-------+--------+                                       |                               SFC Encapsulation                                       |                           ... SFC-enabled Domain ...                                       |                           Network Overlay Transport                                       |                                   _,....._                                ,-'        `-.                               /              `.                              |     Network    |                              `.              /                                `.__     __,-'                                    `''''    Figure 3: SFC Architecture Components After Initial Classification   Please note that the depiction in Figure 3 shows packets after   initial classification, and therefore includes the SFC encapsulation.   Although not included in Figure 3, the classifier is an SFC   architectural component.4.1.  SFC Encapsulation   The SFC encapsulation enables service function path selection.  It   also enables the sharing of metadata/context information when such   metadata exchange is required.   The SFC encapsulation carries explicit information used to identify   the SFP.  However, the SFC encapsulation is not a transport   encapsulation itself: it is not used to forward packets within the   network fabric.  If packets need to flow between separate physical   platforms, the SFC encapsulation relies on an outer networkHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 14]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   transport.  Transit forwarders -- such as router and switches --   forward SFC encapsulated packets based on the outer (non-SFC)   encapsulation.   One of the key architecture principles of SFC is that the SFC   encapsulation remain transport independent.  As such, any network   transport protocol may be used to carry the SFC encapsulated traffic.4.2.  Service Function (SF)   The concept of an SF evolves; rather than being viewed as a bump in   the wire, an SF becomes a resource within a specified administrative   domain that is available for consumption as part of a composite   service.  SFs send/receive data to/from one or more SFFs.  SFC-aware   SFs receive this traffic with the SFC encapsulation.   While the SFC architecture defines the concept and specifies some   characteristics of a new encapsulation -- the SFC encapsulation --   and several logical components for the construction of SFCs, existing   SF implementations may not have the capabilities to act upon or fully   integrate with the new SFC encapsulation.  In order to provide a   mechanism for such SFs to participate in the architecture, an SFC   proxy function is defined (seeSection 4.6).  The SFC proxy acts as a   gateway between the SFC encapsulation and SFC-unaware SFs.  The   integration of SFC-unaware service functions is discussed in more   detail in the SFC proxy section.   This architecture allows an SF to be part of multiple SFPs and SFCs.4.3.  Service Function Forwarder (SFF)   The SFF is responsible for forwarding packets and/or frames received   from the network to one or more SFs associated with a given SFF using   information conveyed in the SFC encapsulation.  Traffic from SFs   eventually returns to the same SFF, which is responsible for   injecting traffic back onto the network.  Some SFs, such as   firewalls, could also consume a packet.   The collection of SFFs and associated SFs creates a service-plane   overlay in which SFC-aware SFs, as well as SFC-unaware SFs reside.   Within this service plane, the SFF component connects different SFs   that form a service function path.   SFFs maintain the requisite SFP forwarding information.  SFP   forwarding information is associated with a service path identifier   that is used to uniquely identify an SFP.  The service forwarding   state enables an SFF to identify which SFs of a given SFP should be   applied, and in what order, as traffic flows through the associatedHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 15]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   SFP.  While there may appear to the SFF to be only one available way   to deliver the given SF, there may also be multiple choices allowed   by the constraints of the SFP.   If there are multiple choices, the SFF needs to preserve the property   that all packets of a given flow are handled the same way, since the   SF may well be stateful.  Additionally, the SFF may preserve the   handling of packets based on other properties on top of a flow, such   as a subscriber, session, or application instance identification.   The SFF also has the information that allows it to forward packets to   the next SFF after applying local service functions.  Again, while   there may be only a single choice available, the architecture allows   for multiple choices for the next SFF.  As with SFs, the solution   needs to operate such that the behavior with regard to specific flows   (see the Rendered Service Path) is stable.  The selection of   available SFs and next SFFs may be interwoven when an SFF supports   multiple distinct service functions and the same service function is   available at multiple SFFs.  Solutions need to be clear about what is   allowed in these cases.   Even when the SFF supports and utilizes multiple choices, the   decision as to whether to use flow-specific mechanisms or coarser-   grained means to ensure that the behavior of specific flows is stable   is a matter for specific solutions and specific implementations.   The SFF component has the following primary responsibilities:   1.  SFP forwarding: Traffic arrives at an SFF from the network.  The       SFF determines the appropriate SF the traffic should be forwarded       to via information contained in the SFC encapsulation.  After SF       processing, the traffic is returned to the SFF, and, if needed,       is forwarded to another SF associated with that SFF.  If there is       another non-local (i.e., different SFF) hop in the SFP, the SFF       further encapsulates the traffic in the appropriate network       transport protocol and delivers it to the network for delivery to       the next SFF along the path.  Related to this forwarding       responsibility, an SFF should be able to interact with metadata.   2.  Terminating SFPs: An SFC is completely executed when traffic has       traversed all required SFs in a chain.  When traffic arrives at       the SFF after the last SF has finished processing it, the final       SFF knows from the service forwarding state that the SFC is       complete.  The SFF removes the SFC encapsulation and delivers the       packet back to the network for forwarding.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 16]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   3.  Maintaining flow state: In some cases, the SFF may be stateful.       It creates flows and stores flow-centric information.  This state       information may be used for a range of SFP-related tasks such as       ensuring consistent treatment of all packets in a given flow,       ensuring symmetry, or for state-aware SFC Proxy functionality       (seeSection 4.8).4.3.1.  Transport-Derived SFF   SFP forwarding, as described above, directly depends upon the use of   the service path information contained in the SFC encapsulation.   However, existing implementations may not be able to act on the SFC   encapsulation.  These platforms may opt to use existing transport   information, if it can be arranged, to provide explicit service path   information.   This results in the same architectural behavior and meaning for SFP   forwarding and service function paths.  It is the responsibility of   the control components to ensure that the transport path executed in   such a case is fully aligned with the path identified by the   information in the service chaining encapsulation.4.4.  SFC-Enabled Domain   Specific features may need to be enforced at the boundaries of an   SFC-enabled domain, for example to avoid leaking SFC information.   Using the term "node" to refer generically to an entity that is   performing a set of functions, in this context, an SFC boundary node   denotes a node that connects one SFC-enabled domain to a node either   located in another SFC-enabled domain or in a domain that is SFC-   unaware.   An SFC boundary node can act as egress or ingress.  An SFC Egress   Node denotes an SFC boundary node that handles traffic leaving the   SFC-enabled domain the Egress Node belongs to.  Such a node is   required to remove any information specific to the SFC Domain,   typically the SFC encapsulation.  Further, from a privacy   perspective, an SFC Egress Node is required to ensure that any   sensitive information added as part of SFC gets removed.  In this   context, information may be sensitive due to network concerns or end-   customer concerns.  An SFC Ingress Node denotes an SFC boundary node   that handles traffic entering the SFC-enabled domain.  In most   solutions and deployments this will need to include a classifier, and   will be responsible for adding the SFC encapsulation to the packet.   An SFC Proxy and corresponding SFC-unaware service function (see   Figure 3) are inside the SFC-enabled domain.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 17]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 20154.5.  Network Overlay and Network Components   Underneath the SFF there are components responsible for performing   the transport (overlay) forwarding.  They do not consult the SFC   encapsulation or inner payload for performing this forwarding.  They   only consult the outer-transport encapsulation for the transport   (overlay) forwarding.4.6.  SFC Proxy   In order for the SFC architecture to support SFC-unaware SFs (e.g.,   legacy service functions) a logical SFC proxy function may be used.   This function sits between an SFF and one or more SFs to which the   SFF is directing traffic (see Figure 3).   The proxy accepts packets from the SFF on behalf of the SF.  It   removes the SFC encapsulation, and then uses a local attachment   circuit to deliver packets to SFC-unaware SFs.  It also receives   packets back from the SF, reapplies the SFC encapsulation, and   returns them to the SFF for processing along the service function   path.   Thus, from the point of view of the SFF, the SFC proxy appears to be   part of an SFC-aware SF.   Communication details between the SFF and the SFC Proxy are the same   as those between the SFF and an SFC-aware SF.  The details of that   are not part of this architecture.  The details of the communication   methods over the local attachment circuit between the SFC proxy and   the SFC-unaware SF are dependent upon the specific behaviors and   capabilities of that SFC-unaware SF, and thus are also out of scope   for this architecture.   Specifically, for traffic received from the SFF intended for the SF   the proxy is representing, the SFC proxy:   o  Removes the SFC encapsulation from SFC encapsulated packets.   o  Identifies the required SF to be applied based on available      information including that carried in the SFC encapsulation.   o  Selects the appropriate outbound local attachment circuit through      which the next SF for this SFP is reachable.  This is derived from      the identification of the SF carried in the SFC encapsulation, and      may include local techniques.  Examples of a local attachment      circuit include, but are not limited to, VLAN, IP-in-IP, Layer 2Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 18]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015      Tunneling Protocol version 3 (L2TPv3), Generic Routing      Encapsulation (GRE), and Virtual eXtensible Local Area Network      (VXLAN).   o  Forwards the original payload via the selected local attachment      circuit to the appropriate SF.   When traffic is returned from the SF:   o  Applies the required SFC encapsulation.  The determination of the      encapsulation details may be inferred by the local attachment      circuit through which the packet and/or frame was received, or via      packet classification, or other local policy.  In some cases,      packet ordering or modification by the SF may necessitate      additional classification in order to reapply the correct SFC      encapsulation.   o  Delivers the packet with the SFC encapsulation to the SFF, as      would happen with packets returned from an SFC-aware SF.4.7.  Classification   Traffic from the network that satisfies classification criteria is   directed into an SFP and forwarded to the requisite service   function(s).  Classification is handled by a service classification   function; initial classification occurs at the ingress to the SFC   domain.  The granularity of the initial classification is determined   by the capabilities of the classifier and the requirements of the SFC   policy.  For instance, classification might be relatively coarse: all   packets from this port are subject to SFC policy X and directed into   SFP A, or quite granular: all packets matching this 5-tuple are   subject to SFC policy Y and directed into SFP B.   As a consequence of the classification decision, the appropriate SFC   encapsulation is imposed on the data, and a suitable SFP is selected   or created.  Classification results in attaching the traffic to a   specific SFP.4.8.  Reclassification and Branching   The SFC architecture supports reclassification (or non-initial   classification) as well.  As packets traverse an SFP,   reclassification may occur -- typically performed by a classification   function co-resident with a service function.  Reclassification may   result in the selection of a new SFP, an update of the associated   metadata, or both.  This is referred to as "branching".Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 19]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   For example, an initial classification results in the selection of   SFP A: DPI_1 --> SLB_8.  However, when the DPI service function is   executed, attack traffic is detected at the application layer.  DPI_1   reclassifies the traffic as attack and alters the service path to SFP   B, to include a firewall for policy enforcement: dropping the   traffic: DPI_1 --> FW_4.  Subsequent to FW_4, surviving traffic would   be returned to the original SFF.  In this simple example, the DPI   service function reclassifies the traffic based on local application   layer classification capabilities (that were not available during the   initial classification step).   When traffic arrives after being steered through an SFC-unaware SF,   the SFC Proxy must perform reclassification of traffic to determine   the SFP.  The SFC Proxy is concerned with re-attaching information   for SFC-unaware SFs, and a stateful SFC Proxy simplifies such   classification to a flow lookup.4.9.  Shared Metadata   Sharing metadata allows the network to provide network-derived   information to the SFs, SF-to-SF information exchange, and the   sharing of service-derived information to the network.  Some SFCs may   not require metadata exchange.  SFC infrastructure enables the   exchange of this shared data along the SFP.  The shared metadata   serves several possible roles within the SFC architecture:   o  Allows elements that typically operate independently (e.g., as      "ships in the night") to exchange information.   o  Encodes information about the network and/or data for subsequent      use within the SFP.   o  Creates an identifier used for policy binding by SFs.   Context information can be derived in several ways:   o  External sources   o  Network node classification   o  Service function classificationHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 20]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 20155.  Additional Architectural Concepts   There are a number of issues that solutions need to address, and that   the architecture informs but does not determine.  This section lays   out some of those concepts.5.1.  The Role of Policy   Much of the behavior of service chains is driven by operator and per-   customer policy.  This architecture is structured to isolate the   policy interactions from the data plane and control logic.   Specifically, it is assumed that the service chaining control plane   creates the service paths.  The service chaining data plane is used   to deliver the classified packets along the service chains to the   intended service functions.   Policy, in contrast, interacts with the system in other places.   Policies and policy engines may monitor service functions to decide   if additional (or fewer) instances of services are needed.  When   applicable, those decisions may in turn result in interactions that   direct the control logic to change the SFP placement or packet   classification rules.   Similarly, operator service policy, often managed by Operations or   Business Support Systems (OSS or BSS), will frequently determine what   service functions are available.  Operator service policies also   determine which sequences of functions are valid and are to be used   or made available.   The offering of service chains to customers, and the selection of   which service chain a customer wishes to use, are driven by a   combination of operator and customer policies using appropriate   portals in conjunction with the OSS and BSS tools.  These selections   then drive the service chaining control logic, which in turn   establishes the appropriate packet classification rules.5.2.  SFC Control Plane   The SFC control plane is part of the overall SFC architecture, and   this section describes its high-level functions.  However, the   detailed definition of the SFC control plane is outside the scope of   this document.   The SFC control plane is responsible for constructing SFPs,   translating SFCs to forwarding paths, and propagating path   information to participating nodes to achieve requisite forwarding   behavior to construct the service overlay.  For instance, an SFCHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 21]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   construction may be static; selecting exactly which SFFs and which   SFs from those SFFs are to be used, or it may be dynamic, allowing   the network to perform some or all of the choices of SFF or SF to use   to deliver the selected service chain within the constraints   represented by the service path.   In the SFC architecture, SFs are resources; the control plane manages   and communicates their capabilities, availability, and location in   fashions suitable for the transport and SFC operations in use.  The   control plane is also responsible for the creation of the context   (see below).  The control plane may be distributed (using new or   existing control-plane protocols), or be centralized, or a   combination of the two.   The SFC control plane provides the following functionality:   1.  An SFC-enabled domain wide view of all available service function       resources as well as the network locators through which they are       reachable.   2.  Uses SFC policy to construct service function chains, and       associated SFPs.   3.  Selection of specific SFs for a requested SFC, either statically       (using specific SFs) or dynamically (using service explicit SFs       at the time of delivering traffic to them).   4.  Provides requisite SFC data-plane information to the SFC       architecture components, most notably the SFF.   5.  Provides the metadata and usage information classifiers need so       that they in turn can provide this metadata for appropriate       packets in the data plane.   6.  When needed, provide information including policy information to       other SFC elements to be able to properly interpret metadata.5.3.  Resource Control   The SFC system may be responsible for managing all resources   necessary for the SFC components to function.  This includes network   constraints used to plan and choose network path(s) between service   function forwarders, network communication paths between service   function forwarders and their attached service functions,   characteristics of the nodes themselves such as memory, number of   virtual interfaces, routes, and instantiation, configuration, and   deletion of SFs.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 22]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   The SFC system will also be required to reflect policy decisions   about resource control, as expressed by other components in the   system.   While all of these aspects are part of the overall system, they are   beyond the scope of this architecture.5.4.  Infinite Loop Detection and Avoidance   This SFC architecture is predicated on topological independence from   the underlying forwarding topology.  Consequently, a service topology   is created by service function paths or by the local decisions of the   service function forwarders based on the constraints expressed in the   SFP.  Due to the overlay constraints, the packet-forwarding path may   need to visit the same SFF multiple times, and in some less common   cases may even need to visit the same SF more than once.  The Service   Chaining solution needs to permit these limited and policy-compliant   loops.  At the same time, the solutions must ensure that indefinite   and unbounded loops cannot be formed, as such would consume unbounded   resources without delivering any value.   In other words, this architecture requires the solution to prevent   infinite service function loops, even when service functions may be   invoked multiple times in the same SFP.5.5.  Load-Balancing Considerations   Supporting function elasticity and high-availability should not   overly complicate SFC or lead to unnecessary scalability problems.   In the simplest case, where there is only a single function in the   SFP (the next hop is either the destination address of the flow or   the appropriate next hop to that destination), one could argue that   there may be no need for SFC.   In the cases where the classifier is separate from the single   function or a function at the terminal address may need a sub-prefix   (e.g., finer-grained address information) or per-subscriber metadata,   a single SFP exists (i.e., the metadata changes but the SFP does   not), regardless of the number of potential terminal addresses for   the flow.  This is the case of the simple load balancer.  See   Figure 4.                            +---+    +---++--->web server                  source+-->|sff|+-->|sf1|+--->web server                            +---+    +---++--->web server                      Figure 4: Simple Load BalancingHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 23]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   By extrapolation, in the case where intermediary functions within a   chain had similar "elastic" behaviors, we do not need separate chains   to account for this behavior -- as long as the traffic coalesces to a   common next-hop after the point of elasticity.   In Figure 5, we have a chain of five service functions between the   traffic source and its destination.                +---+ +---+ +---+   +---+ +---+ +---+                |sf2| |sf2| |sf3|   |sf3| |sf4| |sf4|                +---+ +---+ +---+   +---+ +---+ +---+                  |     |     |       |     |     |                  +-----+-----+       +-----+-----+                        |                   |                        +                   +             +---+    +---+     +---+     +---+    +---+   source+-->|sff|+-->|sff|+--->|sff|+--->|sff|+-->|sff|+-->destination             +---+    +---+     +---+     +---+    +---+               +                  +                  +               |                  |                  |             +---+              +---+              +---+             |sf1|              |sf3|              |sf5|             +---+              +---+              +---+                         Figure 5: Load Balancing   This would be represented as one service function path:   sf1 -> sf2 -> sf3 -> sf4 -> sf5.  The SFF is a logical element, which   may be made up of one or multiple components.  In this architecture,   the SFF may handle load distribution based on policy.   It can also be seen in the above that the same service function may   be reachable through multiple SFFs, as discussed earlier.  The   selection of which SFF to use to reach sf3 may be made by the control   logic in defining the SFP, or may be left to the SFFs themselves,   depending upon policy, solution, and deployment constraints.  In the   latter case, it needs to be assured that exactly one SFF takes   responsibility to steer traffic through sf3.5.6.  MTU and Fragmentation Considerations   This architecture prescribes that additional information be added to   packets to identify service function paths and often to represent   metadata.  It also envisions adding transport information to carry   packets along service function paths, at least between service   function forwarders.  This added information increases the size of   the packet to be carried by service chaining.  Such additions couldHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 24]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   potentially increase the packet size beyond the MTU supported on some   or all of the media used in the service chaining domain.   Such packet size increases can thus cause operational MTU problems.   Requiring fragmentation and reassembly in an SFF would be a major   processing increase and might be impossible with some transports.   Expecting service functions to deal with packets fragmented by the   SFC function might be onerous even when such fragmentation was   possible.  Thus, at the very least, solutions need to pay attention   to the size cost of their approach.  There may be alternative or   additional means available, although any solution needs to consider   the trade-offs.   These considerations apply to any generic architecture that increases   the header size.  There are also more specific MTU considerations:   Effects on Path MTU Discovery (PMTUD) as well as deployment   considerations.  Deployments within a single administrative control   or even a single data center complex can afford more flexibility in   dealing with larger packets, and deploying existing mitigations that   decrease the likelihood of fragmentation or discard.5.7.  SFC OAM   Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) tools are an   integral part of the architecture.  These serve various purposes,   including fault detection and isolation, and performance management.   For example, there are many advantages of SFP liveness detection,   including status reporting, support for resiliency operations and   policies, and an enhanced ability to balance load.   Service function paths create a services topology, and OAM performs   various functions within this service layer.  Furthermore, SFC OAM   follows the same architectural principles of SFC in general.  For   example, topological independence (including the ability to run OAM   over various overlay technologies) and classification-based policy.   We can subdivide the SFC OAM architecture in two parts:   o  In-band: OAM packets follow the same path and share fate with user      packets, within the service topology.  For this, they also follow      the architectural principle of consistent policy identifiers, and      use the same path IDs as the service chain data packets.  Load      balancing and SFC encapsulation with packet forwarding are      particularly important here.   o  Out-of-band: Reporting beyond the actual data plane.  An      additional layer beyond the data-plane OAM allows for additional      alerting and measurements.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 25]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   This architecture prescribes end-to-end SFP OAM functions, which   implies SFF understanding of whether an in-band packet is an OAM or   user packet.  However, service function validation is outside of the   scope of this architecture, and application-level OAM is not what   this architecture prescribes.   Some of the detailed functions performed by SFC OAM include fault   detection and isolation in a service function path or a service   function, verification that connectivity using SFPs is both effective   and directing packets to the intended service functions, service path   tracing, diagnostic and fault isolation, alarm reporting, performance   measurement, locking and testing of service functions, validation   with the control plane (seeSection 5.2), and also allow for vendor-   specific as well as experimental functions.  SFC should leverage and,   if needed, extend relevant existing OAM mechanisms.5.8.  Resilience and Redundancy   As a practical operational requirement, any service chaining solution   needs to be able to respond effectively, and usually very quickly, to   failure conditions.  These may be failures of connectivity in the   network between SFFs, failures of SFFs, or failures of SFs.  Per-SF   state (as, for example, stateful-firewall state) is the   responsibility of the SF, and not addressed by this architecture.   Multiple techniques are available to address this issue.  Solutions   can describe both what they require and what they allow to address   failure.  Solutions can make use of flexible specificity of service   function paths, if the SFF can be given enough information in a   timely fashion to do this.  Solutions can also make use of MAC- or   IP-level redundancy mechanisms such as Virtual Router Redundancy   Protocol (VRRP).  Also, particularly for SF failures, load balancers   co-located with the SFF or as part of the service function delivery   mechanism can provide such robustness.   Similarly, operational requirements imply resilience in the face of   load changes.  While mechanisms for managing (e.g., monitoring,   instantiating, loading images, providing configuration to SFC   control, deleting, etc.) virtual machines are out of scope for this   architecture, solutions can and are aided by describing how they can   make use of scaling mechanisms.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 26]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 20156.  Security Considerations   The architecture described here is different from the current model,   and moving to the new model could lead to different security   arrangements and modeling.  In the SFC architecture, a relatively   static topologically-dependent deployment model is replaced with the   chaining of sets of service functions.  This can change the flow of   data through the network, and the security and privacy considerations   of the protocol and deployment will need to be reevaluated in light   of the new model.   Security considerations apply to the realization of this   architecture, in particular to the documents that will define   protocols.  Such realization ought to provide means to protect   against security and privacy attacks in the areas hereby described.   Building from the categorization of [RFC7498], we can largely divide   the security considerations into four areas:   Service Overlay:  Underneath the service function forwarders, the        components that are responsible for performing the transport        forwarding consult the outer-transport encapsulation for        underlay forwarding.  Used transport mechanisms should satisfy        the security requirements of the specific SFC deployment.  These        requirements typically include varying degrees of traffic        separation, protection against different attacks (e.g.,        spoofing, man-in-the-middle, brute-force, or insertion attacks),        and can also include authenticity and integrity checking, and/or        confidentiality provisions, for both the network overlay        transport and traffic it encapsulates.   Boundaries:  Specific requirements may need to be enforced at the        boundaries of an SFC-enabled domain.  These include, for        example, to avoid leaking SFC information, and to protect its        borders against various forms of attacks.  If untrusted parties        can inject packets that will be treated as being properly        classified for service chaining, there are a large range of        attacks that can be mounted against the resulting system.        Depending upon deployment details, these likely include spoofing        packets from users and creating DDoS and reflection attacks of        various kinds.  Thus, when transport mechanisms are selected for        use with SFC, they MUST ensure that outside parties cannot        inject SFC packets that will be accepted for processing into the        domain.  This border security MUST include any tunnels to other        domains.  If those tunnels are to be used for SFC without        reclassification, then the tunnel MUST include additional        techniques to ensure the integrity and validity of such packets.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 27]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   Classification:  Classification is used at the ingress edge of an        SFC-enabled domain.  Policy for this classification is done        using a plurality of methods.  Whatever method is used needs to        consider a range of security issues.  These include appropriate        authentication and authorization of classification policy,        potential confidentiality issues of that policy, protection        against corruption, and proper application of policy with needed        segregation of application.  This includes proper controls on        the policies that drive the application of the SFC encapsulation        and associated metadata to packets.  Similar issues need to be        addressed if classification is performed within a service        chaining domain, i.e., reclassification.   SFC Encapsulation:  The SFC encapsulation provides at a minimum SFP        identification, and carries metadata.  An operator may consider        the SFC Metadata as sensitive.  From a privacy perspective, a        user may be concerned about the operator revealing data about        (and not belonging to) the customer.  Therefore, solutions        should consider whether there is a risk of sensitive information        slipping out of the operator's control.  Issues of information        exposure should also consider flow analysis.  Further, when a        specific metadata element is defined, it should be carefully        considered whether origin authentication is needed for it.        A classifier may have privileged access to information about a        packet or inside a packet (seeSection 3, item 4, andSection 4.9) that is then communicated in the metadata.  The        threat of leaking this private data needs to be mitigated        [RFC6973].  As one example, if private data is represented by an        identifier, then a new identifier can be allocated, such that        the mapping from the private data to the new identifier is not        broadly shared.        Some metadata added to and carried in SFC packets is sensitive        for various reasons, including potentially revealing personally        identifying information.  Realizations of the architecture MUST        protect such information to ensure that it is handled with        suitable care and precautions against inappropriate        dissemination.  This can have implications to the data plane,        the control plane, or both.  Data-plane protocol definitions for        SFC can include suitable provisions to protect such information        for use when handling sensitive information, with packet or SFP        granularity.  Equally, the control mechanisms used with SFC can        have provisions to determine that such mechanisms are available,        and to ensure that they are used when needed.  Inability to do        so needs to result in error indications to appropriate        management systems.  In particular, when the control systems        know that sensitive information may potentially be added toHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 28]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015        packets at certain points on certain service chains, the control        mechanism MUST verify that appropriate protective treatment of        NSH information is available from the point where the        information is added to the point where it will be removed.  If        such mechanisms are unavailable, error notifications SHOULD be        generated.   Additionally, SFC OAM functions need to not negatively affect the   security considerations of an SFC-enabled domain.   Finally, all entities (software or hardware) interacting with the   service chaining mechanisms need to provide means of security against   malformed, poorly configured (deliberate or not) protocol constructs   and loops.  These considerations are largely the same as those in any   network, particularly an overlay network.7.  References7.1.  Normative References   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate              Requirement Levels",BCP 14,RFC 2119,              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.7.2.  Informative References   [Boucadair2014]              Boucadair, M., Jacquenet, C., Parker, R., Lopez, D.,              Guichard, J., and C. Pignataro, "Service Function              Chaining: Framework & Architecture", Work in Progress,draft-boucadair-sfc-framework-02, February 2014.   [Quinn2014]              Quinn, P. and J. Halpern, "Service Function Chaining (SFC)              Architecture", Work in Progress,draft-quinn-sfc-arch-05,              May 2014.   [RFC3022]  Srisuresh, P. and K. Egevang, "Traditional IP Network              Address Translator (Traditional NAT)",RFC 3022,              DOI 10.17487/RFC3022, January 2001,              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc3022>.   [RFC6146]  Bagnulo, M., Matthews, P., and I. van Beijnum, "Stateful              NAT64: Network Address and Protocol Translation from IPv6              Clients to IPv4 Servers",RFC 6146, DOI 10.17487/RFC6146,              April 2011, <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6146>.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 29]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015   [RFC6296]  Wasserman, M. and F. Baker, "IPv6-to-IPv6 Network Prefix              Translation",RFC 6296, DOI 10.17487/RFC6296, June 2011,              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6296>.   [RFC6973]  Cooper, A., Tschofenig, H., Aboba, B., Peterson, J.,              Morris, J., Hansen, M., and R. Smith, "Privacy              Considerations for Internet Protocols",RFC 6973,              DOI 10.17487/RFC6973, July 2013,              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6973>.   [RFC7498]  Quinn, P., Ed. and T. Nadeau, Ed., "Problem Statement for              Service Function Chaining",RFC 7498,              DOI 10.17487/RFC7498, April 2015,              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7498>.Acknowledgments   The editors would like to thank Sam Aldrin, Alia Atlas, Nicolas   Bouthors, Stewart Bryant, Linda Dunbar, Alla Goldner, Ken Gray, Barry   Greene, Anil Gunturu, David Harrington, Shunsuke Homma, Dave Hood,   Chris Inacio, Nagendra Kumar, Hongyu Li, Andrew Malis, Guy   Meador III, Kengo Naito, Thomas Narten, Ron Parker, Reinaldo Penno,   Naiming Shen, Xiaohu Xu, and Lucy Yong for a thorough review and   useful comments.   The initial draft of this document was the result of merging two   previous documents, and this section lists the acknowledgments from   those documents.   From "Service Function Chaining (SFC) Architecture" [Quinn2014]      The authors would like to thank David Ward, Abhijit Patra, Nagaraj      Bagepalli, Darrel Lewis, Ron Parker, Lucy Yong, and Christian      Jacquenet for their review and comments.   From "Service Function Chaining (SF) - Framework and Architecture"   [Boucadair2014]:      Many thanks to D. Abgrall, D. Minodier, Y. Le Goff, D. Cheng,      R. White, and B. Chatras for their review and comments.Halpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 30]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015Contributors   As noted above, this document is the result of merging two previous   documents.  This section lists those who provided important ideas and   text that fed into this architecture.   The authors of "Service Function Chaining (SFC) - Framework and   Architecture" [Boucadair2014] were:      Mohamed Boucadair      Christian Jacquenet      Ron Parker      Diego R. Lopez      Jim Guichard      Carlos Pignataro   The contributors were:      Parviz Yegani      Paul Quinn      Linda Dunbar   The authors of "Service Function Chaining (SFC) Architecture"   [Quinn2014] were:      Paul Quinn (editor)      Joel Halpern (editor)   The contributors were:      Puneet Agarwal      Andre Beliveau      Kevin Glavin      Ken Gray      Jim Guichard      Surendra Kumar      Darrel Lewis      Nic Leymann      Rajeev Manur      Thomas Nadeau      Carlos Pignataro      Michael Smith      Navindra YadavHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 31]

RFC 7665                    SFC Architecture                October 2015Authors' Addresses   Joel Halpern (editor)   Ericsson   Email: jmh@joelhalpern.com   Carlos Pignataro (editor)   Cisco Systems, Inc.   Email: cpignata@cisco.comHalpern & Pignataro           Informational                    [Page 32]

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