Abstract:
Extension of a function of an Software defined networking (SDN) network device is provided. The network device includes a plurality of flow tables, a plurality of function modules configured to perform different processing on a packet, and an entry module configured to determine an operation to be performed first on the packet between a table search operation and a function module execution operation, in which as a result of the operation determined by the entry module, a table search operation or a function module execution operation to be performed next is designated, and the designation is repeated until an output instruction for the packet is given.