Method for identifying flow, and apparatus

A communication device, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory configured to store computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to:
• count, starting from an initial packet of a target flow, received packets in a first filtering manner;
• and
• when it is determined that a quantity of the received packets of the target flow is greater than or equal to a first threshold, mark, starting from a packet that exceeds the first threshold, a packet whose count is a multiple of m, wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to 2;
• or
• when it is determined that the quantity of the received packets of the target flow is greater than or equal to a second threshold, count, in a second filtering manner, a packet that is continuously received;
• or
• when it is determined that the quantity of the received packets of the target flow is greater than or equal to a third threshold, determine that the target flow is an elephant flow, and mark the packet that is continuously received.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a communication device, cause the communication device to provide execution comprising:

• counting, starting from an initial packet of a target flow, received packets in a first filtering manner;
• and
• marking, when determining that a quantity of the received packets of the target flow is greater than or equal to a first threshold, starting from a packet that exceeds the first threshold, a packet whose count is a multiple of m, wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to 2;
• or
• when determining that the quantity of the received packets of the target flow is greater than or equal to a second threshold, counting, in a second filtering manner, a packet that is continuously received;
• or
• when determining that the quantity of the received packets of the target flow is greater than or equal to a third threshold, determining, that the target flow is an elephant flow, and marking the packet that is continuously received.