JP2012059294A - Information processor and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor and its control method which does not cause a timeout even if device searching is required over a wide range, and reduces the network traffic for the device searching.SOLUTION: A searching FSA 308 which obtains and holds device information for every subnet is provided, and a CSB LM 302 managing a network device manages address information of the device searching FSA 308 existing in a network of subject of management. When a request for device searching is made by a client 309, the address information of the device searching FSA which corresponds to a searching range is replied. The client successively obtains the device information from each device searching FSA, by using the notified address information.

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a control method thereof.

  Conventionally, as a method of managing network devices (devices connected to a computer network), there is a method of using SNMP / MIB (Simple Network Management Protocol / Management Information Base). (For details on SNMP / MIB, "Introduction to TCP / IP network management for practical management" MT Rose = work / Takeshi Nishida = translation Toppan Co., Ltd. published on August 20, 1992, first edition. thing).

  According to SNMP network management technology, a network management system includes at least one network management station (NMS), several managed nodes each containing an agent, and management stations and agents used to exchange management information Network management protocol to be included. The user can obtain data on the network and change the data by communicating with the agent software on the managed node using the network management software on the NMS.

  When such network management software is used in a distributed environment, it is general to take a configuration of a server application having a network management function and a plurality of client applications that are GUI portions activated in each terminal.

  The client application and the server application perform interprocess communication between different terminals in a distributed environment. RFC1057 RPC (Remote Procedure Call) is defined as a standard for interprocess communication. RPC is a set of functions that provide network services on the server side, and functions in this function group can be called from a client process of another terminal on the network in the same way as functions in the local machine. is there.

  The flow of interprocess communication in RPC is as follows. The client calls an RPC function prepared in the server as a service request to the server. At this point, a data packet storing function call information is sent to the server, and the client program (process) is interrupted. When the server receives the packet, it dispatches the called function, retrieves the function argument, executes the service based on the argument, and returns the result to the client. After receiving the result of the function, the client resumes execution of the program (process).

  One server application having the network management function described above is arranged on the distributed network, and a plurality of instances are managed in the server application to manage a plurality of devices. On the other hand, a plurality of client applications operate on different terminals, and access the server application using the above-described interprocess communication. Then, device information is acquired and set via the server application.

  The server application also provides a client with a device search function for searching for a network device as a network management function. The client can acquire basic device information such as the address and device name of the device to be managed from the device list searched by the server application. The server application performs subnet broadcast to search for devices placed in a plurality of subnets.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a computer network that can be a target of network management. The computer network shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which three LANs 100, 110 and 120 are interconnected by a modem / transponder 130. Each of the LANs 100, 110, and 120 is connected to a printer server device, a file server device, a computer device such as a client device, a network printer, or the like.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where the computer apparatus 103 connected to the LAN 100 operates as a client and the computer apparatus 121 operates as a server apparatus with respect to the LANs 100 and 120 in FIG. Note that “device” in FIG. 2 is another network device connected on the LAN, and means a network printer, a computer device, or the like.

  In FIG. 2, when the process A of the client application on the PC 103 accesses the process B of the server application on the PC 121 to search for a device, the client application communicates with the server application using the inter-process communication function. The server application performs device search using the SNMP protocol broadcast.

  Device search is performed in two steps. In the first step, device address information is acquired by broadcasting. In the next step, the MIB value of the device basic information such as the device name and the location is acquired for each device found by the broadcast.

  In order to perform device search, each client application performs inter-process communication using a proxy and requests a server application for device search. The server application receives information transmitted from the proxy (stub) and searches for a device using broadcast such as SNMP protocol. In the default setting, only the devices existing in the subnet LAN 100 where the server application exists are searched. However, when a search range that exceeds the subnet is specified by the client application, for example, when it is specified that the device search of the LAN 120 in FIG. 2 is specified, the device is searched by performing the subnet broadcast.

  The searched device list information is transmitted from the server application stub to the proxy using inter-process communication, and the proxy notifies the client application of a callback. The client application displays device list information by performing bitmap display or the like based on the information notified of the callback from the server application.

“Introduction to TCP / IP Network Management Aiming for Practical Management” T.A. Rose = work / Takeshi Nishida = translation Toppan Co., Ltd. Published August 20, 1992

  However, in the above-described conventional example, when a subnet having a large number of hops is designated as a search target from a client application of the network management software (server application), responses from devices on that subnet fall within a predetermined search timeout time. In some cases, it is not possible to search for all devices existing on the specified subnet.

  In addition, since device basic information is acquired for each device after broadcast, unnecessary network traffic is generated on the network between the subnet where the server application exists and the subnet where the device exists. There is.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, the information that purpose, be required device search in a wide range without a time-out occurs, also to reduce the network traffic for the device search A processing apparatus and a control method thereof are provided.

The above-described object is an information processing apparatus that can be connected to a network including a first subnet and a second subnet connected to the first subnet via an external network, and exists in the first subnet. Searching for a device existing in the first subnet from an external device that performs the second subnet searching for a device existing in the second subnet and the address of the first search server existing in the first subnet The first search server and the second search server by using the address received by the receiving means and the first search server and the second search server. A device list indicating existing devices is obtained from the first search server, and a device list indicating devices existing in the second subnet is obtained. Acquiring the door from the second search server, it is achieved an obtaining unit, by the information processing apparatus characterized by having a display control means for displaying on the display unit a device list obtained by the obtaining means.

The above-described object is a method for controlling an information processing apparatus connectable to a network including a first subnet and a second subnet connected to the first subnet via an external network, The receiving means of the processing device searches for the device existing in the first subnet from the external device existing in the first subnet, and the address of the first search server existing in the first subnet, and the second The receiving step of receiving the address of the second search server existing in the second subnet for searching for a device existing in the subnet, and the acquisition means of the information processing apparatus use the address received in the receiving step to By accessing the first search server and the second search server, the first search is performed on a device list indicating devices existing in the first subnet. A device list obtained from the server and indicating a device existing in the second subnet from the second search server, and the display control means of the information processing apparatus displays the device list obtained by the obtaining means. It is also achieved by a method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising: a display control step for displaying on a display unit.

  Another aspect of the present invention resides in a program that causes a computer to function as each unit of the information processing apparatus of the present invention.

As described above, according to this onset bright, if the device search of more client applications of network management software of hops subnet is required, obtaining the device list from the device discovery FSA disposed to the subnet Thus, there is an effect that it becomes possible to search for all devices that exceed the subnet managed by the client.

  In addition, the acquisition of the device basic information after the broadcast is performed between the device search FSA arranged for each subnet and the devices existing on the subnet, so that the subnet and the device in which the server application exists exist. There is an effect that unnecessary network traffic is not generated in a network between subnets.

It is a figure which shows the example of a computer network. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a client application, a server application, and a device. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the computer apparatus which can apply this invention. It is an arrangement | positioning figure of the software component in embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence chart which shows operation | movement of CSB LM and each node (software component) in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a device list screen. It is a sequence chart which shows the relationship of operation | movement of each software component. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of a client software component. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of device search FSA.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of available computer device 200 as the information processing equipment according to the present invention. The information processing apparatus according to the present invention can be realized by a computer apparatus similar to a computer apparatus capable of realizing a conventional network device management apparatus.

In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which network device management according to the present invention is implemented using distributed computing technology. In the distributed computing technology, since processing for realizing a certain function is distributed by a plurality of hardware, hardware that actually performs processing is distributed on a network. For this reason, the function of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is actually realized by a plurality of network devices, but there is a part described so that a specific apparatus operates as the information processing apparatus for explanation. I want to be.

In the figure, a hard disk (HD) 211 stores a program (network management program) that causes the computer apparatus 200 to function as the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the subject of processing execution of the information processing apparatus is the CPU 201, and the subject of software control is network management software stored in the hard disk (HD) 211. Note that, for example, Windows (registered trademark) 98 (manufactured by Microsoft Corporation) is assumed as the OS that operates in the computer apparatus 200 that functions as the information processing apparatus in the present embodiment, but the use of other OSs is not limited. Absent.

Incidentally network management program stored in the HD211 may be supplied in a form stored in a storage medium such as off Rekishiburu disk, a CD-ROM, a full Rekishiburu disk drive (FD) 212 in the case shown in FIG. 3 Alternatively, the program is read from a storage medium by a CD-ROM drive (not shown) or the like and installed in the hard disk (HD) 211. The network management program may be supplied via the LAN 100 or another network.

FIG. 4 is an arrangement diagram of software components in a network in which the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment operates. Since the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment operates in a distributed environment, a computer apparatus in which network management software is installed can operate as a network device management apparatus (server) or a network device (client).

  Therefore, in FIG. 4, a software component (server software component) when functioning as a so-called server and a software component (client software component) when functioning as a client are described together. Device 1 (304) and device 2 (306) are shown in FIG. 4 for convenience of explanation, but are actually hardware such as a printer.

  All software components are connected to a logical software bus called CSB 301. The CSB LM 302 provides a message distribution function between software components connected to the CSB. A VDC 1 303 is a server software component that manages the device 1 304. Similarly, the VDC 2 305 is a server software component that manages the device 2 306.

  A VDC Agent 307 is a software component that manages the address of the device on which the processes of the VDCs 303 and 305 are operating, the interface pointer of each VDC, and basic information (device name, address, etc.) of the device managed by each VDC. It is. A device search FSA 308 is a software component for searching for devices in the network. A client 1 309 and a client 2 310 are client software components that use the above-described software components. These software components can be located on any accessible terminal on the network.

  For example, when the client 1 of 309 wants to perform device search, the client 1 sends a CSB message to the CSB LM 302 via the CSB 301 that is a logical bus, and the class ID of the device search FSA 308 and device search Obtain the address of the terminal on which the FSA 308 is operating. The client 1 (309) acquires the interface pointer of the device search FSA 308 based on the acquired information.

  Then, a device list is acquired from the device search FSA. Since the device search FSA 308 periodically searches for devices in its own subnet, the client 1 (309) refers to the cache value held in the device search FSA. Details of the device search FSA operation will be described later.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an operation performed with the CSB LM from the start to the end of a certain software component (node).

In step S <b> 1, when the node (for example, the client software component 309) is activated, the node transmits a CSB message indicating the activation completion to the CSB LM 302. The address of the CSB LM 302 can be acquired using, for example, multicast.
Based on the information included in the CSB message, the CSB LM 302 adds the address of the terminal in which the newly activated node is operating and the class ID of the node to the managed node list. In step S2, the node 309 obtains information on the other nodes that the user wants to access from the CSB LM as necessary. A CSB LookUp message including the port number is transmitted. In step S2.1, the CSB LM notifies the required node information. In step S3, a CSB message indicating that the node is terminated is transmitted to the CSB LM before the node is terminated. In response to this message, the CSM LM deletes information about the corresponding node from the node list.

  In this way, the CSB LM always stores and updates information related to managed nodes in the node list.

Next, the operation outline of each software component when performing device search will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG.
In step S71 and step S72, the device search FSA1 and FSA2 arranged for each subnet periodically search for a device in the subnet and update a device list that is an internal cache.

  On the other hand, in step S73, the client requests the CSB LM to obtain the class IDs of all device search FSAs managed by the CSB LM (device search FSAs 1 and 2) and the addresses of operating terminals. To do. In step S73.1, the CSB LM notifies the client of the class IDs of the device search FSAs 1 and 2 in the management target network and the address of the terminal in which they are operating.

  In step S74, the client acquires an interface pointer of the device search FSA1 using inter-process communication. In step S75, the client acquires a device list from the device search FSA1 using the interface pointer acquired in step S74. As shown in FIG. 7, when there are a plurality of device search FSAs on the network, step S74 and step S75 are repeated for each device search FSA.

  In the example of FIG. 7, since there are two device search FSAs, in step S76, the client acquires the interface pointer of the second device search FSA2, and in step S77, acquires the device list. Thereafter, the client displays a device list for each subnet. FIG. 6 is an example of a device list display screen in the client.

  In this embodiment, each device search FSA periodically searches only for devices in its own subnet, and always keeps the device list up-to-date, so within the search response waiting time limit when there is a search request from the client. It is possible to respond for all devices present on the subnet. Then, the client sequentially acquires a device list from a plurality of search FSAs, thereby searching for devices that exceed the subnet and making them management targets. Further, since only the device list information is exchanged between the client and the device search FSA, unnecessary network traffic is not generated in the network between the subnet where the server application exists and the subnet where the device exists.

  Next, the internal operation of the client software component will be described using the flowchart of FIG. In step S1-1, the CSB LM is inquired of node information (class IDs, addresses of operating terminals) of all device search FSAs managed by the CSB LM. In step S1-2, the number of nodes of the acquired device search FSA is set in the counter. In step S1-3, when the counter value is 0, the process ends.

  When the counter value is not 0, the process proceeds to step S1-4 to acquire the interface pointer of the device search FSA. In step S1-5, the device list searched in the own subnet is acquired from the device search FSA. In step S1-6, a device list is displayed. In step S1-7, the counter value is decremented by one.

  The internal operation of the device search FSA will be described using the flowchart of FIG. In step S2-1, the device search FSA is activated. In step S2-2, when the search execution flag is OFF, the process ends. When the search execution flag is ON, the process proceeds to step S2-3 to search for devices in the own subnet. The search execution flag is set to OFF when the device search is ended and the device search FSA is ended from the management application that manages the start and end of the device search FSA.

  In step S2-4, the device list which is an internal cache is updated. In step S2-5, in the case of the first device search, the process proceeds to step S2-6 to transmit a CSB message indicating that activation of the device search FSA is completed and the cache value of the device list is valid. If it is not the first device search, the process proceeds to step S2-7 and waits for a certain period. After waiting, the process proceeds to step S2-3, and the device search is performed again, thereby periodically updating the device list.

[Other embodiments]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the network device management apparatus according to the present invention is realized using the distributed computing technology has been described as an example, but a general client-server network technology may be used. In this case, the server software component is realized in the server device, and the client software component is realized in the client device. The function corresponding to the device search FSA may be realized by providing a dedicated search server device in each subnet, or an arbitrary device on the sub-network may have the function.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium (or recording medium) in which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or Needless to say, this can also be achieved by the MPU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function is determined based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  When the present invention is applied to the above storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes corresponding to the flowcharts described above (shown in any one or more of FIGS. 5 and 7 to 9). become.

Claims (6)

A first subnet, a connectable information processing apparatus to a network and a second subnet that is a connected said first subnet via the external network,
An address of the first search server existing in the first subnet for searching for a device existing in the first subnet from an external device existing in the first subnet, and existing in the second subnet Receiving means for receiving an address of a second search server existing in the second subnet for searching for a device;
By accessing the first search server and the second search server using the address received by the receiving means, a device list indicating devices existing in the first subnet is displayed on the first search server. obtained from, it acquires a device list from the second search server indicating the devices existing in the second subnet, and acquisition means,
Display control means for displaying a device list acquired by the pre Quito resulting unit to the display unit,
An information processing apparatus comprising: The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display the device list and information indicating a subnet corresponding to the device list. When the information processing apparatus is started, and notifies that it has the start to the external device, when the operation of the information processing apparatus is completed, further comprising a notification means for notifying that it has such termination to said external device The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. Wherein the display control unit, an information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that make displaying the device list for each of the subnets. A first subnet, a control method for connecting an information processing apparatus to a network and a second subnet that is connected with the first subnet via the external network,
The receiving means of the information processing apparatus searches for an apparatus existing in the first subnet from an external apparatus existing in the first subnet, and an address of a first search server existing in the first subnet, and a receiving step of receiving a second search server address, which is present in the second subnet for searching a device existing in the second subnet,
Acquisition means of the information processing apparatus, by accessing the first search server and the second search server using the address received in said receiving step, the devices present in the first subnet obtain the device list shown from the first search server, and acquires a device list indicating devices existing in the second subnet from the second search server, the acquisition step,
Display control means of the information processing apparatus, a display control step of displaying a device list acquired by the pre Quito resulting unit to the display unit,
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising:   The program for functioning a computer as each means of the information processing apparatus of any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4.

Images