Service function chaining SFC-based packet forwarding method, apparatus, and system

A service function forwarding node, comprising:

• a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the computer-readable instructions causing the processor to be configured to:
• receive a packet forwarding rule from a control node, the packet forwarding rule indicating a mapping relationship between a match item of traffic characteristic information of a packet and route prefix information;
• receive a first packet, a header of the first packet carrying traffic characteristic information of the first packet;
• determine, according to the packet forwarding rule, target route prefix information corresponding to the traffic characteristic information of the first packet, the service function forwarding node storing a mapping relationship between at least one piece of route prefix information and at least one piece of next-hop information, the at least one piece of next-hop information being in one-to-one correspondence with at least one next-hop node coupled to the service function forwarding node, each piece of next-hop information indicating an address of a corresponding next-hop node, and the at least one piece of route prefix information comprising the target route prefix information;
• determine target next-hop information based on the target route prefix information;
• and
• forward the first packet based on the target next-hop information.

A control node, comprising:

• a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the computer-readable instructions causing the processor to be configured to:
• determine a packet forwarding rule, the packet forwarding rule indicating a mapping relationship between traffic characteristic information of a packet and route prefix information, the route prefix information corresponding to next-hop information, and the next-hop information indicating an address of a next-hop node;
• and
• send the packet forwarding rule to a first service function forwarding node to enable the first service function forwarding node to forward the packet according to the packet forwarding rule.