Patent ID: 8737215

Claim:
A packet forwarding apparatus, comprising: a process rule storage unit that stores process rules defining a process content for each flow; a packet process unit that executes processing a received packet by using a process rule matching the received packet among the process rules; an end determination information extraction unit that extracts information for checking a flow end from the received packet; a flow end check unit that deletes, when a flow end is checked based on the extracted information, a process rule corresponding to the flow; and a control apparatus that controls the packet forwarding apparatus, wherein the control apparatus centrally controls the packet forwarding apparatus including the process rule storage unit, the packet process unit, the end determination information extraction unit, and the flow end check unit, wherein the control apparatus controls a process rule creation and deletion, wherein the end determination information extraction unit detects the flow end and a flow end check unit deletes the process rule corresponding to the flow without instruction from the control apparatus, and wherein when ending communication, the control apparatus executes a communication closing procedure.