Software defined networking system for distinguishing packet-in messages

A method performed by a switch device, wherein the switch device stores one or more control flow entries, each control flow entry comprising at least one service field associated with at least one processing action, the method comprising:

• receiving a data plane packet;
• determining whether at least one information field of the data plane packet matches the at least one service field of a control flow entry;
• and
• transmitting a packet-in message according to the processing action associated with the matched service field, if the at least one information field matches the at least one service field.

A software defined network (SDN) controller, comprising:

• a control flow information database configured to store one or more control flow entries, wherein each control flow entry comprises at least one service field associated with at least one processing action,
• a receiver, configured to receive a packet-in message from a switch device,
• a processor, configured to determine whether at least one information field in the packet-in message matches the at least one service field in the control flow entry, and
• a transmitter, configured to transmit, to the switch device, the processing action associated with the matched at least one service field, or process the packet-in message according to the processing action.