Patent attributes
A resource orchestration framework may include vertices representing physical network nodes and a resource orchestrator. The resource orchestrator may obtain a service function chain specifying, for multiple service functions, mappings of the service functions to respective physical nodes along a specified forwarding path, and a first starting time at which to instantiate resources for a first service function in the chain on the first mapped physical node. The resource orchestrator may instantiate the resources for the first service function on the first mapped physical node at the first starting time, prior to arrival of a first packet in a packet flow for the service function chain at the first mapped physical node and, subsequently, instantiate resources for a second service function in the chain on the second mapped physical node at a second starting time, prior to arrival of the first packet at the second mapped physical node.