METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORWARDING A PACKET

摘要

Method of configuring a packet-forwarding network device comprising a plurality of network ports including a first input port, a first output port, a second input port, and a second output port, by a controller via a communications network, comprising: configuring a loopback device to couple first output port to second input port such that packets forwarded to first output port are received via second input port; programming of network device by controller with a first forwarding rule for causing packets received via first input port and having a first attribute to be forwarded to first output port; and programming of network device by controller with a second forwarding rule for causing packets received via second input port and having a second attribute to be forwarded to second output port. Also network device configured according to above method and method of using such devices.

主权项

1. A remotely-configurable packet-forwarding network device comprising:
a memory; a processor; a plurality of network ports including a first input port, a first output port, a second input port, a second output port, a third input port, and a third output port, at least one of the network ports being in communication with a controller via a communications network; a first loopback device configured to couple the first output port to the second input port such that packets forwarded to the first output port are sequentially received via the second input port; a second loopback device configured to couple the second output port to the third input port such that the packets forwarded to the second output port are sequentially received via the third input port, the second loopback device being sequentially configured to the first loopback device for forwarding the packets; and program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to effect:
receiving from the controller via the communications network an indication of a first forwarding rule for causing the packets received via the first input port and having a first attribute to be forwarded to the first output port and sequentially forwarded to the second input port;storing the first forwarding rule in the memory;receiving from the controller via the communications network an indication of a second forwarding rule for causing the packets received via the second input port and having a second attribute to be forwarded to the second output port and sequentially forwarded to the third input port; andstoring the second forwarding rule in the memoryreceiving from the controller via the communications network an indication of a third forwarding rule for causing the packets received via the third input port and having a third attribute to be forwarded to the third output port, andstoring the third forwarding rule in the memory.