Packet forwarding system, device, and method

A switch for use in a gateway forwarding plane entity comprising a mobile agent and the switch, the switch comprising:

• a memory, configured to store a flow entry;
• a transceiver, configured to receive a user plane packet;
• and
• a processor, configured to:
• when a flow table is searched for a flow entry matching the user plane packet, send a flow entry request comprising a matching parameter in the user plane packet to the mobile agent;
• wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
• when the processor finds, in the flow table, no flow entry matching the user plane packet, send the flow entry request comprising the matching parameter in the user plane packet to the mobile agent;
• wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
• in a case in which the mobile agent finds, in a locally stored user profile, a user profile corresponding to the matching parameter in the user plane packet, receive a flow entry sent by the mobile agent, wherein local refers to being stored on or by the switch;
• wherein the processor is further configured to store, in the flow table, the flow entry sent by the mobile agent;
• and
• wherein the transceiver is further configured to forward the user plane packet according to an instruction set in the flow entry sent by the mobile agent.

A mobile agent for use in a gateway forwarding plane entity comprising the mobile agent and a switch, the mobile agent comprising instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium that when executed, cause:

• a transceiver of the gateway forwarding plane entity to receive, in a process of setting up a bearer for user data through a switching network, a user profile establishment message sent by a gateway control plane entity, wherein the user profile establishment message comprises a user profile of the bearer;
• a processor of the gateway forwarding plane entity to store, in a memory, the user profile of the bearer in the user profile establishment message;
• wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the switch to search a local flow table for a flow entry matching a user plane packet, and when no flow entry matching the user plane packet is found in the local flow table, cause the transceiver to receive a flow entry request that comprises a matching parameter in the user plane packet and that is sent by the switch, wherein the flow entry comprises a match field and an instruction set, wherein local refers to being stored on or by the switch;
• wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to search, in the memory, for a user profile corresponding to the matching parameter in the user plane packet, and in a case in which the user profile corresponding to the matching parameter in the user plane packet is found, generate, according to the found user profile, a flow entry matching the user plane packet;
• and
• wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the transceiver to send the generated flow entry to the switch.

A packet forwarding method for use with a gateway user plane entity comprising a switch and a mobile agent, the method comprising:

• after receiving a user plane packet, searching, by the switch, a local flow table for a flow entry matching the user plane packet, wherein the flow entry in the flow table comprises a match field and an instruction set, wherein local refers to being stored on or by the switch;
• when finding, in the local flow table, no flow entry matching the user plane packet, sending, by the switch, a flow entry request comprising a matching parameter in the user plane packet to the mobile agent;
• in a case in which the mobile agent finds, in a locally stored user profile, a user profile corresponding to the matching parameter in the user plane packet, receiving and storing, by the switch, a flow entry sent by the mobile agent;
• and
• forwarding, by the switch, the user plane packet according to an instruction set in the flow entry sent by the mobile agent.

A bearer setup method for use with a gateway user plane entity comprising a switch and a mobile agent, the method comprising:

• receiving and storing, by the mobile agent in a process of setting up a bearer for user data through a switching network, a user profile establishment message sent by a gateway control plane entity, wherein the user profile establishment message comprises a user profile of the bearer;
• when the switch finds, in a local flow table, no flow entry matching a user plane packet, receiving, by the mobile agent, a flow entry request that comprises a matching parameter in the user plane packet and that is sent by the switch, wherein a flow entry comprises a match field and an instruction set, wherein local refers to being stored on or by the switch;
• locally searching, by the mobile agent, for a user profile corresponding to the matching parameter in the user plane packet;
• and
• in a case in which the user profile corresponding to the matching parameter in the user plane packet is found, generating, according to the found user profile, a flow entry matching the user plane packet, and sending the generated flow entry to the switch.