Contextualized Information Bus

A network element (NE) comprising:

• a plurality of physical interfaces configured to communicate with a plurality of remote NEs in an information centric network (ICN);
• a receiver coupled to the plurality of physical interfaces, and configured to receive a request for a service from a first of the remote NEs via the ICN, wherein the service request comprises a requested service name comprising a hierarchical name structure identifying the requested service and a requested service context comprising a service type attribute of the requested service;
• a memory comprising:
• a service profile comprising a supported service, wherein the supported service is associated with a supported service name and a supported service context;
• and
• a forwarding information base (FIB);
• a processor coupled to the memory and the receiver and configured to:
• generate a service response when the requested service name matches the supported service name and the requested service context matches the supported service context;
• and
• store a routing path in a FIB, wherein the routing path identifies a physical interface where the service request is received;
• and
• a transmitter coupled to the processor and the plurality of physical interfaces and configured to transmit the service response to the first NE according to the routing path via the ICN.