Exchanging application metadata for application context aware service insertion in service function chain

A method implemented by a network element (NE), comprising:

• receiving a classification message comprising:
• a classification rule for identifying a service function chain (SFC) in a network, wherein the SFC comprises an ordered set of service functions (SFs) that provides services to an application;
• and
• a dynamic application-specific contextual data associated with an operation of the application, the dynamic application-specific contextual data comprising application data that is generated dynamically by the application upon initiation of the application and that may be updated based on the operation of the application, wherein the dynamic application-specific contextual data is used by at least one of the SFs in the SFC in providing services to the application;
• receiving a first of a plurality of application data packets;
• determining that the first of the application data packets matches the classification rule;
• generating, when the first of the application data packets matches the classification rule, a first SFC packet by adding the dynamic application-specific contextual data to the first of the application data packets according to the classification rule to enable communication of the dynamic application-specific contextual data to the at least one of the SFs in the SFC;
• sending the first SFC packet towards a next NE according to an SF path in the network associated with the SFC;
• receiving a flow configuration message that indicates an addition of the SF path into the network, wherein the addition of the SF path is associated with the initiation of the application;
• and
• receiving a flow termination message that indicates a deletion of the SF path from the network, wherein the deletion of the SF path is associated with a termination of the application.