A control apparatus includes: a first control information setting unit configured to set first control information for forwarding packets between predetermined machines in relay apparatuses on a predetermined path on the basis of a first hierarchical address; and a second control information setting unit configured to set, when receiving a packet whose destination address is a second hierarchical address, which is a higher level address than the first hierarchical address, from one of the machines in which the first control information has already been set, via one of the relay apparatuses, second control information for converting a first hierarchical destination address of the packet whose destination address is the second hierarchical address into a first hierarchical address specified in the first control information and forwarding the converted packet, in the relay apparatus.