System and Method for Data Plane Signaled Packet Capture in a Service Function Chaining Network

A method comprising:

• in a service function chain network, receiving, at a service function forwarder of a plurality of service function forwarders, collectively, forming a first service function path, a service function packet, the service function packet having a packet payload encapsulated via a service function header;
• interrogating, at the service function forwarder, a capture bit of the service function header of the received service function packet;
• and
• in response to a determination of a positive capture value at the capture bit, replicating and forwarding i) a first service function packet to a network node, having a network service, paired to the service function forwarder prior to forwarding the first service function packet to a next service function forwarder along the first service function path and ii) a second service function packet to a second service function path having a packet capture and/or analysis service function.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of network devices;
• a service function controller, comprising:
• a network interface;
• a processor coupled to the network interface;
• and
• a memory having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• receive, via the network interface, a packet to selectively apply one or more service functions of the plurality of service functions associated with the plurality of network devices, wherein the one or more service functions are applied along one or more service function paths defined by the plurality of network devices;
• receive, via the network interface, one or more packet capture policies;
• and
• for each of the one or more service function paths selected to be traversed by the received packet, generate a service function packet having a service function header that encapsulates the received packet, wherein the service function header includes a capture bit in a data-plane portion of the service function header, and wherein the capture bit signals, to the plurality of network nodes along each selected service path, the packet as a candidate for capture.