Data packet forwarding method, device, and system

A flow entry sending method applied to a virtual network in which control and forwarding are separated, wherein the virtual network comprises a controller and a forwarding device, and wherein the method comprises:

• generating, by the controller, a first default flow entry of the virtual network, wherein the first default flow entry of the virtual network instructs the forwarding device to send a data packet in the virtual network to a specified forwarding device either when the controller is faulty and the forwarding device looks up a flow table based on a match item of the data packet in the virtual network but no flow entry is hit, or when the controller works normally and the forwarding device looks up the flow table based on the match item of the data packet in the virtual network but no flow entry is hit;
• generating, by the controller, a second default flow entry of the virtual network, wherein the second default flow entry of the virtual network instructs the forwarding device to send a second data packet in the virtual network to the controller when the controller works normally and the forwarding device looks up the flow table based on a second match item of the second data packet in the virtual network but no flow entry is hit;
• and
• sending, by the controller, the first default flow entry of the virtual network and the second default flow entry of the virtual network to the forwarding device.

A forwarding device applied to a virtual network in which control and forwarding are separated, wherein the virtual network comprises a controller and the forwarding device, and wherein the forwarding device comprises:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to be executed by the at least one processor to cause the forwarding device to:
• receive a first default flow entry of the virtual network from the controller, wherein the first default flow entry of the virtual network instructs the forwarding device to send a data packet in the virtual network to a specified forwarding device when the forwarding device looks up a first flow table based on a match item of the data packet in the virtual network but no flow entry is hit;
• receive a second default flow entry of the virtual network from the controller, wherein the second default flow entry of the virtual network instructs the forwarding device to send a second data packet in the virtual network to the controller when the forwarding device looks up the first flow table based on a second match item of the data packet in the virtual network but no flow entry is hit, and wherein a second priority of the second default flow entry of the virtual network is higher than a first priority of the first default flow entry of the virtual network;
• receive a first data packet from an end system (ES) in the virtual network;
• determine to use the first default flow entry of the virtual network to forward the first data packet when the controller is faulty and the forwarding device looks up the first flow table based on a first match item of the first data packet but no flow entry is hit;
• and either
• send the first data packet to the specified forwarding device;
• or
• send the first data packet to the controller after determining to use the second default flow entry of the virtual network to forward the first data packet when the controller works normally and the forwarding device looks up the first flow table based on the first match item of the first data packet but no flow entry is hit.

A controller applied to a virtual network in which control and forwarding are separated, wherein the virtual network comprises the controller and a forwarding device, and wherein the controller comprises:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to be executed by the at least one processor to cause the controller to:
• generate a first default flow entry of the virtual network, wherein the first default flow entry of the virtual network instructs the forwarding device to send a data packet in the virtual network to a specified forwarding device either when the controller is faulty and the forwarding device looks up a flow table based on a match item of the data packet in the virtual network but no flow entry is hit, or when the controller works normally and the forwarding device looks up the flow table based on the match item of the data packet in the virtual network but no flow entry is hit;
• generate a second default flow entry of the virtual network, wherein the second default flow entry of the virtual network instructs the forwarding device to send a second data packet in the virtual network to the controller when the controller works normally and the forwarding device looks up the flow table based on a second match item of the second data packet in the virtual network but no flow entry is hit;
• and
• send the first default flow entry of the virtual network and the second default flow entry of the virtual network to the forwarding device.