Dynamically Offloading Flows from a Service Chain

An apparatus adapted to host a service function instance of a service chain, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• receive a first portion of a traffic flow over a service chain path, wherein the service function instance is positioned between an upstream service function instance and a downstream service function instance on the service chain path;
• determine that a by-pass criterion is satisfied after processing at least some of the first portion of the traffic flow;
• embed a by-pass indication in a service chain header of at least one packet in the first portion of the traffic flow;
• and
• forward the at least one packet to a data plane entity, wherein the by-pass indication prompts the data plane entity to re-route a remaining portion of the traffic flow directly from the upstream service function instance to a next-hop service function instance, thereby by-passing the service function instance.

An apparatus adapted to host a control plane entity, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• receive a by-pass indication message from a reporting service function instance while a traffic flow is being forwarded over a first service chain path, wherein the reporting service function instance is positioned between an upstream service function instance and a next-hop service function instance on the first service chain path, and wherein the by-pass indication message is received after a first portion of the traffic flow has been processed by the reporting service function instance;
• and
• send a re-routing request message to the upstream service function instance, wherein the re-routing request message prompts the upstream service function instance to by-pass the reporting service function instance by forwarding a remaining portion of the traffic flow directly to the next-hop service function instance.