JPS6369346A - Network management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the expansion performance and to save the number of communication lines between a management device and a communication equipment by providing plural management terminals to the network management device, connecting plural communication equipments in series and connecting the both ends to the management terminal equipments. CONSTITUTION:Plural communication equipments 12a, 14a,... are connected in series by a managing communication line l5a, the both ends are connected to network management input/output terminals 22a, 24a of the network management equipment 10 to form a loop. The network management equipment 10 has plural pairs of network management input/output terminals, the other plural communication equipments 12n, 14n,... are connected similarly in series by a management channel l5n, the both ends are connected to the network management input/output terminals 22n, 24n to constitute the other loop. Since the communication equipment is added/removed simply, the flexible network management system is built and efficient communication is attained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Summary] A network management device is provided with a plurality of management terminals, a plurality of communication devices are connected in series, and both ends are connected to the management terminal, thereby improving expandability and improving the management device. The aim was to reduce the number of communication paths between the device and the communication device.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a management method for a network management system including a communication device and a network management device.

[Conventional technology]

A network management device must manage a large number of communication devices, and management communication paths tend to become complicated accordingly. For this reason, it is desirable to simplify the communication channel,
There is also a need for a network management system that can easily respond to increases and decreases in the number of communication devices.

The configuration of a conventional network management system is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In these figures, 10 is a network management device, 12.14. . . . is a communication device. ll
12 is a line leading to a terminal, 12 is a line leading to a host (main channel), and communication devices 12, 14, . . . control communication between these hosts and terminals. The network management device 10 monitors the status i of each communication device (whether communication is being performed normally, whether the modem is normal, etc.). In the system of FIG. 5, each communication device 12.14. A management communication path 13 is connected between the network management device IO and the network management device IO, and in the system shown in FIG.
One management communication path 14 extends from this, and all communication devices 12, 14 . ... is connected.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the network management system shown in FIG. 5, a network management device 10, communication devices 12, 14, . . .
... are each connected by one management communication path, so each time a communication device is added, a communication path must be added to connect the communication device and the network management device. In the network management system shown in the figure, all communication devices are connected to a single management communication path from the network management device, so if one communication device is communicating with the management device, other communication devices are connected to the management device. In other words, only one communication device can communicate with the management device at one time.

The present invention aims to improve these points and improve expandability and communication efficiency.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a plurality of communication devices (
12, 14, . . . ) and a network management device (10) common to these devices, the plurality of communication devices are
R, S) are connected in series by sequentially connecting them through a management communication path (15), and both ends thereof are connected to the input and output ends (22, 24) of the network management device to form a loop; Information is transmitted by sending a plurality of signals having a destination address, a command, and a data part so that each signal passes through each communication device, with one signal per communication device, and these signals sequentially pass through the communication devices. It is characterized by this.

[Effect]

According to this management method, it is possible to easily add or delete communication devices, so a flexible network management system can be constructed, and efficient communication can be performed.

〔Example〕

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, a plurality of communication devices 12a
, 14a, . . . are connected to the management communication path 15. are connected in series, and both ends thereof are connected to the network management input/output terminals 22a of the network management device 10.

24a, thus forming one loop. The network management device 10 has a plurality of pairs of network management input/output terminals, and in the illustrated example, there are 12 pairs of network management input/output terminals.
n, 14n, . . . are similarly connected in series through a management communication path 15□, and both ends thereof are connected to network management input/output terminals 22n, 24n to form another loop.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the communication device 12a (14a).

16a, ..., etc.), 31 is a network management control section, 32 is a communication monitoring section, 33 is a modem, 3
4 is a channel switch, 35 is a communication network control unit, and 36 is a memory. In the management communication path '5m, the output terminal 22a side of the management device 10 is connected to the reception end R of the management control unit 31, the input terminal 24a side is connected to the transmission end S, and data is transmitted to the reception end R.
The communication control section 35 dials and calls the terminal and connects it to the host.The communication monitoring section 32 monitors the status of the modulation/demodulation section 33.
The network management control unit 31 is notified of normality or abnormality.

As shown in the figure, when the channel switch 34 is on the contact a side, it connects the terminal and the host, and when it is switched to the contact side, the network management control unit 31 is connected to the host and is controlled by the host.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the network management device 10.
1 is a network management processing section, 42 is a terminal selection section, 43 is an external input/output section, 44 is a memory, and 45 is an external input/output terminal (connector).

The terminal selection section 42 has input/output terminal pairs 22a and 24a.
t... Selection of 22n and 24n, and therefore the selection of the loop described above, is performed for each communication device 12a, 14a.

The data sent from . . . is extracted and sent to the processing section 41. The processing unit 41 processes the data sent from each communication device, and outputs only important data to the outside through the external input/output unit 43 and the external input/output terminal 45 as necessary. Further, data is inputted from the outside via the terminal 45, etc., and necessary control is performed.

Management communication path E51. The format of the signal for transmitting '5n consists of a start flag S, a destination address, a control section, a parameter, and an end flag E, as shown in FIG. The control unit has hexa codes OOH, 10H,
...... are accommodated, and these have the meanings shown in the table below.

Table 1 In this system, a signal in the format shown in FIG. 4 is sequentially transferred to each communication device 12a, 14a, . . . . That is, each signal in the format of FIG. 4 is S+.

S2. S3. ......, then at a certain point 12
There is S+ at a, at the next time there is Sl at 14a, S2 at 12a, and at the next time there is Sl at 16a, S2 at 14a.
．． 12a has S3, and so on. The NtlLL command is always flowing, and when the network management device 10 issues a request to a certain communication device, for example 14a, the address 142 is placed in the address section and the request command is placed in the control section. When each communication device receives this signal (32), it looks at the address field, and if it is its own address, it takes in the signal, and if it is not its own address, it does not take it in and goes on to the next one. The communication device 14a takes in the signal S2 since it contains its own address, and sends out a response to the request by putting it on the harameter section of the signal.

The management device 10 may issue a request to all communication devices in the l loop, and in this case, a specific code such as all 1 or all O indicating all communication devices is placed in the address part of the signal (supposed to be S3). , sends the request code to the control unit. When each communication device receives this signal S3, its response is
It has a NULL command and the address part is a subsequent signal (Sl, S5...) of a specific code (for example, it can be the same as above).
... toss) in the parameter section, and its own address in the address section. In this way, the communication device on the loop starting end side (output terminal side of the management device 10) can immediately transmit the response on the subsequent signal (Sl) (if it is ready). , the communication devices on and after the loop start side will ignore the NtlLL command signal whose address is not the above-mentioned specific code, and will send out the signal with its own response and address in the above-mentioned specific code, but in any case, all communication devices can return a response to the management device.

The notification command is used when the management device notifies the communication device, or when the communication device notifies the management device (therefore, no response is required). NULL for the communication device to notify the management device
Using a command signal, place the own address in the address part of the signal, put a notification command in the control part, and put the contents to be notified in the parameter part.

Interrupts have priority over all other commands. When the communication device raises an interrupt to the management device, it stores the signal sent at that time (SIO. The command for this signal can be anything other than interrupt) in a register or buffer memory, and stores the signal sent at that time in the address section of the signal SIO. It sends its own address to the control section, an interrupt command to the control section, and the interrupt contents to the parameter section, and the contents of the signal SIO stored in the register are sent out along with the subsequent NULL command signal.

This system also allows for direct communication between each communication device in the loop. In this case, both the destination address part and the source address part should be used for the address part, and the management device, like the communication device, should send the received data as is unless it is addressed to itself. good.

Furthermore, this system has the advantage that communication can be started even if the management device does not know the communication devices included in the loop. That is, by requesting all communication devices in the loop to send their own addresses before communicating with each communication device, it is possible to easily know how many communication devices are connected and what their addresses are.

In this regard, in the system shown in Figure 5, the address of each communication device must be entered by the operator into the management device, and it is difficult to request all communication devices to send their own addresses (each communication device responds at the same time). (It is necessary to add a priority control circuit to avoid this.)

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the present invention, in a network management system (NMS), each communication device is connected in series, and both ends are connected to the input and output terminals of the network management device to form a loop. To simplify the management communication path between each communication device and a network management device, and to easily add or delete communication devices by providing multiple loops and transmitting information using time slots in each loop. can enable efficient transmission.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific example of a communication device, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific example of a management device, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the format of a signal flowing through the loop, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are block diagrams showing the configuration of a conventional network management system. 12.14 in Figure 1. ... is a communication device, IO is a network management device, i♂ is a management communication path, 22.2
4 is input and output ends, and S and R are sending and receiving ends.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Multiple communication devices (12, 1
4,...) and a network management device (10) common to these,
The plurality of communication devices are connected to these transmitting and receiving ends (R, S).
are connected in series by sequentially connecting them through a management communication path (l_5), and both ends thereof are connected to the input and output terminals (22, 24) of the network management device to form a loop, and the destination address, command , and a plurality of signals having a data part, each signal being sent to each communication device, one signal per communication device, and these signals sequentially passing through the communication devices to transmit information. network management method. (2) Network management according to claim 1, characterized in that the network management device has a plurality of pairs of input and output terminals, and a plurality of loops, and each loop is connected to each input and output terminal. method.