Communication system, control apparatus, and control method

Abstract

A communication system includes: a plurality of nodes each of which requests a processing rule for processing a received packet; and a control apparatus that determines in response to the request a processing rule corresponding to the received packet and notifies the determined processing rule to at least one of the plurality of nodes. One of the plurality of nodes forwards to the control apparatus a first packet for acquiring a destination address for a predetermined communication. The control apparatus in response to determination of the destination address determines a processing rule for processing a second packet to be transmitted to the destination address and notifies the determined processing rule to at least one of the plurality of nodes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication system, comprising:
 a plurality of nodes each of which requests a processing rule for processing a received packet; and   a control apparatus that determines in response to the request the processing rule corresponding to the received packet and notifies the determined processing rule to at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein   one of the plurality of nodes forwards to the control apparatus a first packet for acquiring a destination MAC address for a destination IP address in a predetermined communication, and   the control apparatus in response to determination of the destination MAC address determines a processing rule for processing a second packet to be transmitted to the destination address and notifies the determined processing rule to at least one of the plurality of nodes.   
     
     
         2 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control apparatus in response to determination of the destination address determines in advance a processing rule for processing the second packet.   
     
     
         3 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 if at least one of the plurality of nodes does not store a processing rule corresponding to the received packet, the at least one of the plurality of nodes requests a processing rule to the control apparatus, and   the control apparatus in response to determination of the destination address notifies the processing rule corresponding to the second packet to the at least one of the plurality of nodes before the at least one of the plurality of nodes requests a processing rule for processing the second packet.   
     
     
         4 . The communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control apparatus determines, as the processing rule for processing the second packet, a processing rule corresponding to a path for forwarding the second packet from a source apparatus of the first packet to a destination apparatus of the predetermined communication.   
     
     
         5 . A control apparatus, comprising:
 a receiving unit that receives from at least one of a plurality of nodes a request for a processing rule for processing a received packet;   a determination unit that determines the processing rule corresponding to the received packet; and   a notification unit that notifies the determined processing rule to at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein   the receiving unit receives from at least one of the plurality of nodes a first packet for acquiring a destination MAC address for a destination IP address in a predetermined communication,   the determination unit in response to determination of the destination MAC address determines a processing rule for processing a second packet to be transmitted to the destination address, and   the notification unit notifies the determined processing rule to at least one of the plurality of nodes.   
     
     
         6 . The control apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the determination means in response to determination of the destination address determines in advance the processing rule for processing the second packet.   
     
     
         7 . A control method, comprising:
 by a control apparatus, receiving from at least one of a plurality of nodes a request for a processing rule for processing a received packet;   determining the processing rule corresponding to the received packet;   notifying the determined processing rule to at least one of the plurality of nodes;   receiving from at least one of the plurality of nodes a first packet for acquiring a destination MAC address for a destination IP address in a predetermined communication;   in response to determination of the destination MAC address, determining a processing rule for processing a second packet to be transmitted to the destination address; and   notifying the determined processing rule to at least one of the plurality of nodes.   
     
     
         8 . The control method according to  claim 7 , comprising:
 in response to determination of the destination address, determining in advance the processing rule for processing the second packet.   
     
     
         9 . The communication system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 if at least one of the plurality of nodes does not store a processing rule corresponding to the received packet, the at least one of the plurality of nodes requests a processing rule to the control apparatus, and the control apparatus in response to determination of the destination address notifies the processing rule corresponding to the second packet to the at least one of the plurality of nodes before the at least one of the plurality of nodes requests a processing rule for processing the second packet.   
     
     
         10 . The communication system according  claim 2 , wherein
 the control apparatus determines, as the processing rule for processing the second packet, a processing rule corresponding to a path for forwarding the second packet from a source apparatus of the first packet to a destination apparatus of the predetermined communication.   
     
     
         11 . The communication system according  claim 3 , wherein
 the control apparatus determines, as the processing rule for processing the second packet, a processing rule corresponding to a path for forwarding the second packet from a source apparatus of the first packet to a destination apparatus of the predetermined communication.