Patent ID: 9237094
Filing Date: 2016-01-12
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A communication system, comprising a plurality of first nodes that, in accordance with packet handling operations prescribing processing contents for a packet belonging to a pre-set flow, process a packet that is received and that matches to the packet handling operations; one or more second nodes that forwards the received packet via a plurality of ports thereof without referencing the packet handling operations; and a control apparatus that sets, for nodes of the first nodes that are situated on a forwarding path for the packet belonging to the pre-set flow, packet handling operations to forward the packet belonging to the pre-set flow to each next hop, the control apparatus further setting, for one of the first nodes that is not situated on the forwarding path, packet handling operations to cause dropping of the packet that has been forwarded from the one or more second nodes and that is off the forwarding path, wherein said one or more second nodes forwards the received packet via the plurality of ports without a control by the control apparatus.