# US 12,010,030 B2 · FlowSpec message processing method and system, and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,010,030 B2 - Document ID: US12010030B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/683,778 - Filed: 2022-03-01 - Published: 2022-08-18 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-07 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Qiandeng Liang; Shunwan Zhuang; Nan Wu; Jianjie You - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010030B2 ## CPC - H04L 47/2441: relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ] - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04L 12/66: Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways - H04L 45/04: {Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing} - H04L 45/64: using an overlay routing layer - H04L 47/33: using forward notification - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract The present disclosure discloses a flow specification (FlowSpec) message processing method. In the method, a controller forwards device interface information reported by the forwarding device; selects at least one forwarding device interface to which a FlowSpec rule needs to be applied from the received forwarding device interface information; generates an application interface rule based on the at least one forwarding device interface to which the FlowSpec rule needs to be applied; and sends a FlowSpec message to the forwarding device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flow specification (FlowSpec) message processing method, comprising: receiving, by a controller, forwarding device interface information reported by a forwarding device; generating, by the controller, a FlowSpec message which instructs the forwarding device to apply an FlowSpec rule to at least one forwarding device interface of the forwarding device; and sending, by the controller, the FlowSpec message to the forwarding device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the controller, an application interface rule according to the forwarding device interface information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the FlowSpec message comprises the FlowSpec rule and an application interface rule which instructs the forwarding device to apply the FlowSpec rule to the at least one forwarding device interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the sending the FlowSpec message to the forwarding device comprises: sending, by the controller, the FlowSpec message to the forwarding device by using BGP route attribute information, wherein the BGP route attribute information carries the application interface rule. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the generating according to the forwarding device interface information comprises: obtaining, by the controller, at least one interface identifier corresponding to the at least one forwarding device interface to which the FlowSpec rule needs to be applied, wherein the forwarding device interface information comprises an interface identifier of the forwarding device interface; and generating, by the controller, the application interface rule, wherein the application interface rule comprises an interface identifier set, and the interface identifier set comprises the at least one interface identifier corresponding to the at least one forwarding device interface to which the FlowSpec rule needs to be applied. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the generating according to the forwarding device interface information comprises: determining, by the controller, an interface group to which the at least one forwarding device interface belongs; obtaining, by the controller, an interface group identifier corresponding to the interface group; and generating, by the controller, the application interface rule, wherein the application interface rule comprises the interface group identifier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, further comprising: before determining the interface group, obtaining, by the controller, the interface group identifier and an interface identifier of a forwarding device interface comprised in the interface group; and sending, by the controller, the interface group identifier and the interface identifier of the forwarding device interface comprised in the interface group to the forwarding device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the generating according to the forwarding device interface information comprises: generating, by the controller, the application interface rule, wherein the application interface rule comprises a service filter criterion, and the service filter criterion is used to obtain through filtering, the at least one forwarding device interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the receiving forwarding device interface information reported by a forwarding device comprises: receiving, by the controller by using a Border Gateway Protocol-Link State (BGP-LS) protocol, the forwarding device interface information reported by the forwarding device. ### Claim 10 A flow specification (FlowSpec) message processing method, comprising: reporting, by a forwarding device, forwarding device interface information of the forwarding device to a controller; receiving, by the forwarding device, a FlowSpec message sent by the controller, wherein the FlowSpec message instructs the forwarding device to apply an FlowSpec rule to at least one forwarding device interface of the forwarding device; and applying, by the forwarding device, the FlowSpec rule to the at least one forwarding device interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising: obtaining, by the forwarding device, an application interface rule and the FlowSpec rule according to the FlowSpec message, wherein the application interface rule instructs the forwarding device to apply an FlowSpec rule to the at least one forwarding device interface; and determining, by the forwarding device according to the application interface rule, whether the forwarding device comprises the at least one forwarding device interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the determining, by the forwarding device according to the application interface rule, whether the forwarding device comprises at least one forwarding device interface comprises: when the application interface rule comprises an interface identifier set, obtaining, by the forwarding device, an interface identifier from the interface identifier set; and searching, by the forwarding device, an interface identifier corresponding to the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device matches the interface identifier from the interface identifier set. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the determining, by the forwarding device according to the application interface rule, whether a forwarding device interface of the forwarding device comprises at least one forwarding device interface comprises: when the application interface rule comprises an interface group identifier, obtaining, by the forwarding device, an interface group based on the interface group identifier; and searching, by the forwarding device, the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device for a forwarding device interface comprised in the interface group. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising: before the determining, by the forwarding device according to the application interface rule, whether a forwarding device interface of the forwarding device comprises at least one forwarding device interface, receiving, by the forwarding device, an interface group identifier and an interface identifier of the forwarding device interface comprised in the interface group that are delivered by the controller; and filtering, by the forwarding device, the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device according to the interface group identifier and the interface identifier of the forwarding device interface comprised in the interface group, and maintaining an association relationship between the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device and the interface group. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the determining, by the forwarding device according to the application interface rule, whether a forwarding device interface of the forwarding device comprises at least one forwarding device interface comprises: when the application interface rule comprises a service filter criterion, searching, by the forwarding device, the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device for a forwarding device interface meeting the service filter criterion; and if the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device comprises the forwarding device interface meeting the service filter criterion, determining that the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device comprises the at least one forwarding device interface to which the FlowSpec rule needs to be applied, or if the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device does not comprise a forwarding device interface meeting the service filter criterion, determining that the forwarding device interface of the forwarding device does not comprise the at least one forwarding device interface to which the FlowSpec rule needs to be applied. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the forwarding device interface information comprises at least one of following information: interface identifier information, interface description information, interface service information, or interface group information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the reporting, by a forwarding device, forwarding device interface information of the forwarding device to a controller comprises: reporting, by the forwarding device, the forwarding device interface information of the forwarding device to the controller by using a Border Gateway Protocol-Link State (BGP-LS). ### Claim 18 A controller, comprising: one or more memories storing instructions, and one or more processors, wherein the instructions are executed by the one or more processors to cause the controller to: receive forwarding device interface information reported by a forwarding device; generate a flow specification (FlowSpec) message which instructs the forwarding device to apply an FlowSpec rule to at least one forwarding device interface of the forwarding device; and send the FlowSpec message to the forwarding device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The controller according to claim 18, wherein the instructions are executed by the one or more processors to further cause the controller to: generate an application interface rule according to the forwarding device interface information. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The controller according to claim 19, wherein the FlowSpec message comprises the FlowSpec rule and an application interface rule which instructs the forwarding device to apply the FlowSpec rule to the at least one forwarding device interface. ### Claim 21 A forwarding device, comprising: one or more memories storing instructions, and one or more processors, wherein the instructions are executed by the one or more processors to cause the forwarding device to: report forwarding device interface information of the forwarding device to a controller; receive a flow specification (FlowSpec) message sent by the controller, wherein the FlowSpec message instructs the forwarding device to apply an FlowSpec rule to at least one forwarding device interface of the forwarding device; and apply the FlowSpec rule to the at least one forwarding device interface. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The forwarding device according to claim 21, wherein the instructions are executed by the one or more processors to further cause the controller to: obtain an application interface rule and the FlowSpec rule according to the FlowSpec message, wherein the application interface rule instructs the forwarding device to apply an FlowSpec rule to the at least one forwarding device interface; and determine, according to the application interface rule, whether the forwarding device comprises the at least one forwarding device interface.