JPH05235809A - Repeater - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the forming of a network by providing plural transmission lines whose speed is comparatively low without special provision of a standby transmission line. CONSTITUTION:Upon the receipt of burst data such as a packet from receiver side transmission lines im1R, im2R, im3R, a relay section 2 of a reception section 3m discriminates the received data to be data to be sent by a transmission line group in and the data are sent to a transmission section 4n. A transmission monitor always monitors the utilizing state of transmission lines in1S, in2S and the transmission section 4n selects the transmission line with the lowest utilizing state in the transmission lines in1S, in2S and sends the data therethrough. A reception monitor 6m monitors the state of the transmission lines im1R, im2R, im3R and detects a fault, then it is sent from the transmission section 4m through the transmission lines im1R, im2R, im3R which have no fault. Upon the receipt of a notice of a fault of a transmission line, the reception section 3m sends the information to the transmission section 4m and the transmission section 4m does not make transmission to the faulty transmission line.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a relay device for transmitting and receiving burst signals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when relaying between certain points, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, for example, a transmission side transmission line ab _S and a reception side transmission line ab _R are provided between the relay nodes A and B at that point.
It is customary to connect the transmission lines ab of a book and use, as the transmission line ab, a transmission line having a capacity commensurate with the amount of traffic (traffic) between the points. One or more transmission lines may be used. For example, one working transmission line ad (a transmission side transmission line ad _S and a reception side transmission line ad _R , which is normally used as shown between the relay nodes A and D, is used. If a failure occurs in the backup transmission line ad '(transmission side transmission line a)
d _S ′ and the receiving side transmission line ad _R ′). That is, the backup transmission line ad 'is secured in a state where it is not normally used.

To further describe the capacity of the above-mentioned transmission line,
Since the transmission line and the relay device are naturally expensive as the capacity becomes larger, the smaller capacity is more economical if unnecessary. Conversely, when the amount of communication is large, a transmission line having a large transmission capacity, that is, a high-speed and expensive transmission line and a relay device are required.

[0004]

In the conventional device, the backup transmission line is not normally used, and it is wastefully provided in a normal state, and when the communication amount is large, the backup transmission line is not used. As the transmission path, an expensive one having a large transmission capacity is provided, which is extremely expensive as a whole.

The present invention, in the case of the same amount of communication as before,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a relay device that can use a transmission device that does not require a high-speed circuit by using a transmission line having a low transmission speed without using a high-speed transmission line that is more expensive than conventional ones.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a relay device is provided with a plurality of transmission-side transmission lines for the same game and a plurality of reception-side transmission lines for the game, and a burst-like signal (packet) In the case of relaying packets by exchange, TCP-IP, token passing, ATM cells), the communication amount (traffic) of the transmission line on the transmission side is monitored by the transmission side monitoring means, and is obtained by the monitoring. The transmission path to be transmitted according to the usage status of the transmission path is selected by the transmission path selection means, the status of the reception side transmission path is monitored by the reception side monitoring means, and the failure information obtained by the monitoring is transmitted to the transmission side. The transmission path selection means is controlled according to the failure information sent to the path and received.

With this configuration, a plurality of low-speed transmission lines having a smaller transmission capacity than those of the conventional transmission line which is currently used are used, and these transmission lines are constantly selected. When a failure occurs, another route can be selected and dealt with.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS When the relay apparatus according to the present invention is used, for example, in the communication network shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of transmission lines are installed between the relay nodes, respectively, and there is no distinction between working and protection lines. .. For example, between the relay nodes A and B, a transmission line group ab including _two transmission line pairs ab ₁ and ab ₂ each including a transmission side transmission line and a reception side transmission line pair is connected, and between the relay nodes A and D. Are five transmission line pairs ad ₁ ~
A transmission line group ad composed of ad ₅ is provided. That is, in FIG. 1, each line connected to each relay node means a pair of bidirectional transmission paths.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the relay device according to the present invention installed in each such relay node. The transmission line groups im and in are connected to the relay device I, and the transmission line group i
m is composed of transmission line pairs im ₁ , im ₂ and im ₃ , the transmission line group in is composed of transmission line pairs in ₁ and in ₂ , and transmission line pair i
m ₁ , im ₂ and im ₃ are transmission lines im _1s and im _1s , respectively.
im _2s , im _3s and receiving side transmission lines im _1R , im _2R , im _3R
And transmission line pairs in ₁ and in _2
Are respectively composed of a transmission side transmission line in _1s , in _2s and a reception side transmission line in _1R , in _2R .

The receiving section 3m, 3n and the transmitting section 4 are provided in the relay section 2.
m and 4n are connected, and the transmission path group to which the data received from the receiving unit is to be sent is selected according to the contents, and is transmitted to the transmitting unit. The reception units 3m and 3n have transmission line groups im and i, respectively.
n, receives the data from n and sends it to the relay unit 2,
m and 4n respectively transmit the data received from the relay unit 2 to the transmission path groups im and in. Transmission monitor 5m,
5n for each transmission side transmission line im _1s , im _2s , i
Traffic (communication amount) of m _3s , in _1S , and in _2S is monitored, and the monitoring information is supplied to the transmitters 4m and 4n, respectively. The reception monitor units 6m and 6n monitor the statuses of the transmission lines im _R1 , im _R2 , im _R3 , in _R1 , and in _R2 , respectively, and the monitoring information is sent to the transmission units 4m and 4n, respectively.

In this figure, only the transmission line groups im and in are connected to the relay device I. However, in the actual relay device, transmission line groups such as ik and il in addition to im and in. Are connected and data is relayed between the transmission line groups.
However, since the relay operation of distributing the data received from the transmission path group im to the transmission path groups ik, il, ... Is not directly related to the present invention, those operations are omitted and the data is actually transmitted from the transmission path group. The description will be limited to the mechanism for selecting the transmission path for transmitting the.

According to the present invention, the data transmission rates of all transmission lines are the same, and the data received from one transmission line group is distributed to another transmission line group according to the relay information preset in the relay device. .. It is assumed that the number of transmission lines forming each transmission line group is large when the traffic is high and small when the traffic is low. First, in the relay device I, the transmission line group im
The operation of receiving the data from and transmitting the data to the transmission line group in will be described. In the receiving unit 3m, each transmission line im
_The data received from _1R , im _2R , and im _3R are collectively sent to the relay unit 2. At this time, when data is simultaneously received from a plurality of transmission lines, the transmission lines im _1R , i of the receiving unit 3m are
A buffer mechanism of an appropriate size may be provided in the portion connected to m _2R and im _3R so that received data is not lost. In addition, the bus speed of the bus that sends data from the receiving unit 3m to the relay unit 2 needs to be sufficiently fast because it is necessary to process data received from a plurality of transmission paths. However, if the receiving unit 3m has a buffer mechanism of a sufficient size, the speed of the bus does not necessarily need to be high unless the time required for the relay processing is satisfactory. In the relay unit 2 which receives the data from the receiving unit 3m, based on the preset relay information and the destination information added to the received data,
It is determined which transmission line group should be transmitted.

An example of the operation for this determination will be described. In the relay units of all the relay devices, network configuration information indicating all the relay devices existing in the wide area network system and their connection status is set in advance, and the destination information of the data indicated in the information and the received data is set. There is a method of comparing the above with and selecting the transmission path group to which the data is to be transmitted. As a result of the determination, the data to be transmitted to the transmission line group in is sent from the relay unit 2 to the transmission unit 4n connected to the transmission line group in. On the other hand, the transmission monitor 5n constantly monitors the usage status of each of the transmission-side transmission paths in _1S and in _2S , and notifies the sending unit 4n of the status. Upon receiving the data to be transmitted, the transmission unit 4n receives the transmission side transmission lines in _1S , in _2S based on the notification from the transmission monitor 5n.
The transmission path with the lowest usage status is selected from among these, and the data is sent to that transmission path.

Conversely, when data is received from the transmission line group in,
The mechanism for transmitting data to the transmission line group im is based on the above operation principle.
Since it is completely equivalent to, the description will be omitted. Next, of the transmission line
Failure detection and notification mechanisms, and the shadows of failures
The operation of avoiding the sound will be described. In reception monitor 6m
Is the transmission line im of the receiving side_1R, Im _2R, Im_3RThe situation of
And the information is sequentially notified to the transmitter 4m.
In general, a network system that relays burst signals
In order to make it easier to find transmission line failures,
Even when not transmitting data, a specific
The pattern is flowing on the transmission path. The reception monitor 6m is
Transmission line im_1R, Im _2R, Im_3RMonitor this signal above,
When the specified header information is detected, it is judged as data and
To detect other unplanned data or signal loss
From the transmission line im_1R, Im_2R, Im_3RFor abnormalities and disconnections
It has a mechanism to output. From reception monitor 6m to transmission line i
m_1R, Im_2R, Im_3RSome failure was detected in
4m that has received the notification of
Creates data with information that identifies the sender
Transmission line im_1S, Im_2S, Im_3SThrough the appropriate
A relay device connected via the transmission line on the receiving side in which damage is detected
Notify the location. In this case, the method of selecting the transmission line is
Select using traffic information from the message monitor 5m
Than the transmission line paired with the receiving transmission line where the failure was detected.
Control to select the transmission side transmission path other than the reception side transmission path.
It is preferable to Because the transmission line pair is the transmitting and receiving side at the same time
Since there is a high possibility that a failure has occurred,
The data to be notified may not reach the relay device of the notification destination.
This is because Relay device that received the notification of transmission path failure
The receiver of the device delivers the information to the transmitter as it is,
In the transmitter that received this, the transmission line where the failure was detected is
On the other hand, if you control not to send data after that,
In addition, processing such as notification to the system operator is performed. Obstacle
For example, the transmission line im_1SSending data to
Therefore, the traffic on the transmission line im will be exceeded.
If that happens, you can use another route.

[0015]

As described above, by using the relay device according to the present invention, it is possible to handle processing from low traffic to high traffic by combining a plurality of transmitting units and receiving units corresponding to only one transmission speed. It is possible to reduce the costs related to development and maintenance, as well as the costs related to parts, without causing the problem of the processing speed itself of the transmission / reception unit. Furthermore, it is possible to detect even a failure of the transmission line at an early stage, and the part where the failure has occurred is
Since the load is distributed and substituted in the remaining normal part, the influence on the whole can be suppressed to a very small level. As a result, it is possible to construct and provide a wide area network system that is inexpensive, easy to operate and maintain, and highly resistant to failures.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a wide area network system configured by using a relay device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a relay device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a conventional wide area network system.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A relay device comprising a plurality of transmission side transmission lines for transmitting a signal to an opposite station and a plurality of reception side transmission lines for transmitting a signal from the opposite station, and relaying a burst signal. In the above, transmission side monitoring means for monitoring the usage status of the transmission side transmission path, and transmission path selection means for selecting a transmission path to be transmitted according to the usage status of the transmission path obtained by the transmission side monitoring means, Receiving-side monitoring means for monitoring the status of the receiving-side transmission path, means for sending the failure information obtained by the receiving-side monitoring means to the transmitting-side transmission path, and the transmission path selection according to the received failure information. And a means for controlling the means.