Methods and network nodes for traffic steering based on per-flow policies

A network node for redirecting a traffic flow in a communication network, in which a first service path has been configured for the traffic flow to go through, the network node comprising:

• a communication interface for receiving a notification message from a service network node, the notification message including traffic characteristic information of a packet of the traffic flow;
• and
• a processor operationally connected to the communication interface and configured to create a set of rules based on the received traffic characteristic information;
• wherein the communication interface further sends the set of rules to a plurality of switches in the communication network, the set of rules indicating a second service path to be used by subsequent packets of the traffic flow.

A method for redirecting a traffic flow in a communication network, in which a first service path has been configured for the traffic flow to go through, the method comprising:

• receiving a set of rules from a network node, the set of rules being created based on a traffic characteristic information from a packet of the traffic flow, the set of rules defining a second service path for the traffic flow to go through;
• receiving subsequent packets of the traffic flow;
• and
• redirecting the received packets to follow the second service path as defined by the set of rules.

A switch for redirecting a traffic flow in a communication network, in which a first service path has been configured for the traffic flow to go through, the switch comprising:

• a first communication interface for receiving a set of rules from a network node, the set of rules being created based on a traffic characteristic information extracted from a packet of the traffic flow, the set of rules defining a second service path for the traffic flow to go through;
• a second communication interface for receiving subsequent packets of the traffic flow;
• and
• a processor operationally connected to the first and second communication interfaces, the processor configured to:
• redirect the received packets to follow the second service path as defined by the set of rules.

A method for triggering a traffic flow redirection in a communication network, in which a first service path has been configured for the traffic flow to go through, the method comprising:

• receiving packets of the traffic flow;
• inspecting the received packets to obtain a traffic characteristic;
• and
• sending to a network node the traffic characteristic for the traffic flow so that the network node can create a set of rules based on the traffic characteristic, the set of rules defining a second service path for the traffic flow to go through.

A service network node for triggering a traffic flow redirection in a communication network, in which a first service path has been configured for the traffic flow to go through, the service network node comprising:

• a communication interface for receiving packets of the traffic flow;
• and
• a processor operationally connected to the communication interface and configure for inspecting the received packets to obtain a traffic characteristic;
• wherein the communication interface further sends to a network node the traffic characteristic for the traffic flow so that the network node can create a set of rules based on the traffic characteristic, the set of rules defining a second service path for the traffic flow to go through.