A PACKET DATA NETWORK, A METHOD FOR OPERATING A PACKET DATA NETWORK AND A FLOW-BASED PROGRAMMABLE NETWORK DEVICE

摘要

A packet data network includes a flow-based programmable network device. The flow-based programmable network device includes a data plane having a plurality of input and output ports, a control interface and forwarding rules that map packets received on one of the input ports to one of the output ports based on a packet matching a rule in the forwarding rules. A controller entity is configured to program the flow-based programmable network device via the control interface. The flow-based programmable network device has a connection via the data plane to at least one delegated entity which is a network device configured to process network traffic on behalf of the flow-based programmable network device in a transparent manner from a perspective of the controller entity.