Communication terminal, communication method, communication system, and program

1. A communication terminal, which communicates with a network including a plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses that forward a received packet, and a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method for controlling the plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses, the communication terminal comprising:

a communication device;

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to:

request an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network;

establish, using the communication device, a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and

process a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel,

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to perform at least one of the following:

notify whether the communication terminal holds the address;

insert into the address request information indicating whether the communication terminal holds the address; or

refrain from requesting the address when the communication terminal holds the address.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to acquire an address of the control apparatus from a response to a request for establishing a connection to a network.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release the address according to a predetermined condition.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release the address when the communication terminal moves from a first network to a second network.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release the address when the communication terminal disconnects a connection to the network.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine whether to release the address based on a cause for disconnecting a connection to the network.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release at least one processing rule set by the control apparatus based on a predetermined condition.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor releases a processing rule set by a control apparatus that belongs to a first network when the communication terminal moves from the first network to a second network.

9. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release a processing rule set by a control apparatus that belongs to the network when the communication terminal disconnects a connection to the network.

10. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine whether to release the processing rule based on a cause for disconnecting a connection to the network.

11. A communication method, in which a communication terminal is used that communicates with a network including a plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses that forward a received packet, and a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method for controlling the plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses, the method comprising:

requesting an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network;

establishing a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and

processing a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel,

wherein the method further includes at least one of the following:

notifying, by the communication terminal, whether the communication terminal holds the address;

inserting, by the communication terminal, into the address request information indicating whether the communication terminal holds the address; or

refraining, by the communication terminal, from requesting the address when the communication terminal holds the address.

12. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal acquires an address of the control apparatus from a response to a request for establishing a connection to a network.

13. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases the address based on a predetermined condition.

14. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases the address when the communication terminal moves from a first network to a second network.

15. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases the address when the communication terminal disconnects a connection to the network.

16. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal determines whether to release the address based on a cause for disconnecting a connection to the network.

17. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases at least one processing rule set by the control apparatus based on a predetermined condition.

18. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases a processing rule set by a control apparatus that belongs to a first network when the communication terminal moves from the first network to a second network.

19. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases a processing rule set by a control apparatus that belongs to the network when the communication terminal disconnects a connection to the network.

20. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal determines whether to release the processing rule according to a cause for disconnecting a connection to the network.

21. A communication system comprising:

a network including a plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses that forward a received packet, a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method for controlling the plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses; and

a communication terminal that communicates with the network, the communication terminal comprising:

a communication device;

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to:

request an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network;

establish, using the communication device, a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and

process a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel,

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to perform at least one of the following:

notify whether the communication terminal holds the address;

insert into the address request information indicating whether the communication terminal holds the address; or

refrain from requesting the address when the communication terminal holds the address.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, storing a program that, when executed by a computer of a communication terminal that communicates with a network including a plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses that forward a received packet and a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method for controlling the plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses, causes the computer to execute:

requesting an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network;

establishing a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and

processing a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel,

wherein execution of the program further causes the computer to execute at least one of the following:

notifying whether the communication terminal holds the address;

inserting into the address request information indicating whether the communication terminal holds the address; or

refraining from requesting the address when the communication terminal holds the address.