STATE-DEPENDENT DATA FORWARDING

A method for forwarding a data flow of multiple data packets according to a protocol adapted for locally-managed data forwarding in a software-defined networking (SDN) architecture includes entering each data packet of the data flow of multiple data packets to a data communication forwarding entity (FE). At the forwarding entity, the next destination of the data packet is selected by applying state machine logic to at least one field of the data packet and to state information tracked by the forwarding entity before the data packet is received. The state machine logic includes rules for forwarding the data packet.