Explicit routing with network function encoding

A network node that routes a data packet through a network of network nodes, comprising:

• at least one transceiver that transmits and receives data packets;
• a forwarding table comprising path ID information for network segments through the network;
• a non-transitory memory element comprising instructions;
• and
• one or more processors in communication with the at least one transceiver to receive data packets for processing and to the memory to receive instructions for processing the data packets, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:
• extract an encapsulation header from the data packet, the encapsulation header including a network node source address, a network node destination address, a path ID identifying at least one network segment of an explicit routing path the data packet is to traverse from the source address to the destination address, and a bit encoding specifying network functions to be performed on the data packet by one or more network nodes in the explicit routing path;
• extract the path ID of the explicit routing path and the bit encoding for the network functions to be performed on the data packet from unused portions of at least one of the source address and the destination address in the encapsulation header;
• and
• when the bit encoding indicates a network function that the network node is programmed to perform, the network node performing a network function based on the network function bit encoding/decoding encoded in the encapsulation header of the data packet and forwarding the data packet based on path ID information in the network node's forwarding table.

A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer instructions for routing a data packet through a network of network nodes, that when executed by one or more processors of a network node cause the one or more processors to:

• extract an encapsulation header from the data packet, the encapsulation header including a network node source address, a network node destination address, a path ID identifying at least one network segment of an explicit routing path the data packet is to traverse from the source address to the destination address, and a bit encoding specifying network functions to be performed on the data packet by one or more network nodes in the explicit routing path;
• extract the path ID of the explicit routing path and the bit encoding for the network functions to be performed on the data packet from unused portions of at least one of the source address and the destination address in the encapsulation header;
• and
• when the bit encoding indicates a network function that the network node is programmed to perform, performing a network function based on the network function bit encoding/decoding encoded in the encapsulation header of the data packet and forwarding the data packet based on path ID information in a forwarding table of the network node.