Patent ID: 9553806
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04W

Claim:
1. A method implemented in a network device coupled to a software-defined networking (SDN) system, wherein the SDN system contains a SDN controller managing the network device, the method comprising: receiving a packet at a first flow table in the network device, searching to find a matching entry in the first flow table based at least partially on an Internet Protocol (IP) address value of the packet; upon finding the matching entry in the first flow table, receiving the packet at the second flow table; searching to find a matching entry in the second flow table based at least partially on a port value of the packet upon receiving the packet; upon finding the matching entry in the second flow table, receiving the packet at the third flow table; searching to find a matching entry in the third flow table in the network device based at least partially on a combination of the first and second identifiers included in the metadata of the packet; and upon finding the matching entry in the third flow table, performing one set of instructions of the matching entry in the third flow table on the packet.