Fast and adaptive packet processing device and method using digest information of input packet

摘要

A packet processing device capable of realizing a fast packet processing, a high adaptability with respect to the protocol change, and an ability to select an optimum function realization scheme according to the network environment is disclosed. The packet processing device has a digest information generation unit configured to extract a plurality of prescribed bit sequences from an input packet, and generate a digest information capable of specifying at least a part of a processing to be applied to the input packet, according to values of the plurality of prescribed bit sequences; and a packet processing unit configured to process the input packet using an instruction sequence to be applied to the input packet that is obtained according to the digest information generated by the digest information generation unit, where the digest information generation unit generates the digest information with respect to a next input packet while the packet processing unit carries out a processing for one packet.