Packet processing method and apparatus

A packet processing apparatus comprising:

• a receiver, a memory and a processor, wherein
• the receiver is configured to cooperate with the processor to obtain a first packet comprising first indication information indicating a data flow associated with the first packet;
• the memory is configured to store an integrated flow table comprising at least one flow entry,
• wherein each of the at least one flow entry comprises a unified match entry and a comprehensive behavior entry,
• wherein the unified match entry uniquely identifies a data flow, and
• wherein the comprehensive behavior entry comprises information for a connection track (CT) operation and a virtual extensible local area network (VxLAN) encapsulation operation;
• the processor is configured to:
• determine a target flow entry in the integrated flow table based on the first indication information,
• wherein the unified match entry of the target flow entry identifies the data flow associated with the first packet;
• and
• perform the CT operation on the first packet;
• performing, by the packet processing apparatus, the VxLAN encapsulation operation on the first packet obtained, after the CT operation, to generate a third packet;
• and
• sending the third packet.

A packet processing method comprising:

• obtaining, by a packet processing apparatus, a first packet comprising first information indicating a data flow associated with the first packet;
• storing, by the packet processing apparatus, an integrated flow table comprising at least one flow entry,
• wherein each of the at least one flow entry comprises a unified match entry and a comprehensive behavior entry,
• wherein the unified match entry uniquely identifies a data flow, and
• wherein the comprehensive behavior entry indicates at least one operation performed on a packet in the data flow identified by the unified match entry;
• obtaining, by the packet processing apparatus, a second packet second information indicating a data flow associated with the second packet, and the data flow associated with the second packet is the same as the data flow associated with the first packet;
• generating the unified match entry based on the second information comprised in the second packet;
• determining, by the packet processing apparatus, a target flow entry in the integrated flow table based on the first information,
• wherein the unified match entry of the target flow entry identifies the data flow associated with the first packet;
• performing, by the packet processing apparatus, the at least one operation on the first packet based on a comprehensive behavior entry comprised in the target flow entry;
• performing, by the packet processing apparatus, at least one operation on the second packet to complete forwarding of the second packet;
• determining, by the packet processing apparatus, a redundancy operation in the at least one operation on the second packet,
• wherein the redundancy operation is not performed in response to the second packet being forwarded from a network interface card of the packet processing apparatus;
• and
• generating, by the packet processing apparatus, the comprehensive behavior entry,
• wherein the comprehensive behavior entry comprises information indicates an operation other than the redundancy operation in the at least one operation performed on the second packet.