Automated service discovery in computer networks

A router of a network comprising:

• a control unit having, at least in part, a service plane, a forwarding plane and a control plane, the control plane configured to determine one or more services provided by the service plane and generate a routing protocol message that includes service discovery information related to the one or more services provided by the service plane;
• and
• at least one interface configured to transmit the routing protocol message to enable network devices of the network to discover the one or more services provided by the service plane based on the service discovery information included in the routing protocol message and receive traffic via a path established based on the service discovery information included in the routing protocol message,
• wherein the forwarding plane is configured to redirect the traffic received via the path to the service plane;
• wherein the service plane is configured to apply the one or more services to the traffic received via the path and output the traffic to the forwarding plane, and
• wherein the forwarding plane is configured to perform a route lookup to forward the traffic output by the service plane.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a router in a network to:

• determine one or more services provided by a service plane of the router;
• generate a routing protocol message that includes service discovery information related to the one or more services provided by the service plane;
• transmit the routing protocol message to enable network devices of the network to discover the one or more services provided by the service plane based on the service discovery information included in the routing protocol message;
• receive traffic via a path established based on the service discovery information included in the routing protocol message;
• and
• redirect the traffic received via the path, with a forwarding plane of the router, to the service plane;
• apply, by the service plane, the one or more services to the traffic received via the path;
• output the traffic, with the service plane and after applying the one or more of the services, to the forwarding plane;
• and
• perform a route lookup with the forwarding plane to forward the traffic output by the service plane.

A network system comprising:

• a router comprising:
• a control unit having, at least in part, a service plane, a forwarding plane and a control plane, the control plane, the control plane configured to determine one or more services provided by the service plane and generate a routing protocol message that includes service discovery information related to the one or more services provided by the service plane;
• and
• at least one interface configured to transmit the routing protocol message;
• an orchestrating network device;
• and
• a network device operated by a user that interfaces with the orchestrating network device to request at least one of the services provided by the service plane,
• wherein the orchestrating network device comprises:
• at least one interface configured to receive the routing protocol message that includes the service discovery information;
• and
• a control unit configured to automatically, based on the service discovery information, configure a path through the network from the network device operated by the user requesting the at least one of the services described by the service discovery information and provided by the service plane to the router,
• wherein the at least one interface of the service node receives traffic via the path, and
• wherein the service plane is configured to apply the one or more services to the traffic received via the path.