KR20000008415A - System and method of interfacing between different types of machines - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Since protocols between terminal and branch processor or IBM series and UNIX series are different, the data transmission between the corresponding systems is difficult. But if the separate system is configured to solve this problem, additional cost occurs. CONSTITUTION: The method comprises the steps of: receiving and transmitting the formats of communications header and data, from terminals with different transmission protocols, and converting them; converting the data between different protocols; and transmitting the converted data to one of host computers through the appropriate transmission port. Consequentially, the system and the method are provided to simultaneously support the computer systems of financial institutions of different network structures and protocols. In the case of merging between banks using machinery of different types, the on-line work can be continued without changing host computers or terminals, and building an additional network. Using host computers and terminals of different types as they are can reduce expenses. The integration of software through the unification of the operating system simplifies the administration and maintenance of computer network.

Description

Interface method and device between different models

The present invention relates to an interface between different host systems, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for interfacing between different types of devices for allowing a terminal and an automation device to simultaneously support different host systems using different networks and protocols. will be.

Currently, the computer systems used in financial institution computer networks are divided into UNISYS host computers using Unix O / S and IBM host computers using Windows-NT. It uses system branch processor and IBM branch processor.

As described above, each financial computer network using different network structures and protocols will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B.

First, FIG. 1A shows a network configuration and transmission data format of a UNISYS host computer and its terminal.

The system structure of the UNISYS system includes a host computer 10 having a magnetic disk device having a large capacity for storing a 'ledger file', which is a database of financial affairs, and a number of requests for financial services from the host computer 10. Two terminals / automation devices are connected and are composed of a branch processor 14 which performs a communication control function with the host computer 10.

The host computer 10 and the branch processor 14 are provided with a data control process (DCP) and an HLC to support different transmission protocols according to the terminal types. The high-level data link control (HDLC) protocol and the TCP / Data transmission is performed as an IP protocol (Transmission Control Protocol / Interner Protocol).

The branch processor 14 is provided with a transmission path consisting of HDLC and HLP protocol (Higher Level Protocol) for the upper interface with the host computer 10, and also a terminal to terminal control protocol for the lower interface with the terminal. Is provided, and a TCP / IP path.

That is, HDLC, HLP, TTCP, Synchronos Data Link Control (SDLC), TCP / IP, and Socket-HLP Interface (ULT5) shown in FIG. 1A are data from a different terminal connected to the branch processor 14 from the host computer. It is a protocol necessary for transmission, and the gateway provides a function for performing protocol conversion to process a data transmission format between a terminal and a host computer.

In addition, terminals are classified into terminals connected to a loop network and terminals using TCP / IP according to different protocol transmission formats.

In this state, the data transmission process between the host computer 10 and the terminal will be described as follows.

In the network initialization state, if a transmission path is formed with the terminal by the system call function of the host computer 10, and then a service request is generated from the terminal connected to the loop or the TCP / IP network, the logical channel formed by the SDLC protocol and the TTCP protocol The terminal connects to the branch processor 14 via an in-transmit path.

Subsequently, the branch processor 14 receiving the data from the terminal converts the data into a protocol that can be transmitted to the host computer via a gateway, and accordingly another layer interfaced with the host computer in a protocol for interfacing with the terminal. Protocol conversion is done by Layer.

The protocol-converted data is transmitted to the host computer 10 through the data control unit.

In addition, transaction data transmission of a terminal connected to TCP / IP is also transmitted to the branch processor as a TCP / IP protocol using a specific port provided by the branch processor, and the branch processor transmits data received from TCP / IP to the host computer. Convert it to your TCP / IP protocol and send it to the host computer.

1B shows a network configuration and transmission data format of a typical IBM-based host computer and its terminal.

The network configuration of the IBM system is to convert each of the plurality of terminals connected to the branch processor 24 that provides the TCP / IP and asynchronous protocols, and the transaction data generated from the terminals to the protocol used in the host computer 20. The TCP / IP protocol converted by the gateway and the protocol conversion operation of the gateway is transmitted to the host computer through the HLC to perform a transaction.

Data transmission between the host computer 20 and the branch processor 24 is performed according to a control operation of the communication control unit (CCU) 22.

Here, the SNA (System Network Architecture) is supported as the connection protocol with the host computer 20, and the asynchronous protocol and the message interface (MCS) are provided as the connection protocol with the terminal.

However, the above-described conventional technology differs from the protocol transmitted between the terminal and the branch processor and the protocol transmitted between the host computer and the branch processor, and the protocol used in the UNIX-based network is the IBM-based protocol, in contrast to the IBM-based system. In this Unix system, there is a problem in that data transmission cannot be performed between different systems because of different data formats and transmission procedures.

That is, each financial institution has a specialized form and a connection procedure according to the type of the host computer and the type of the terminal connected to the host computer, so it is impossible to connect and trade between different models.

These problems have recently been driven by the establishment of financial institutions with large capitals in order to prepare for the plunge in the value of the won, the expansion of foreign banks in the domestic market, and the support of Korean companies in their overseas expansion. As the merger of banks is becoming more visible, terminals connected to different host computers are mutually transactable only with each dedicated host computer, so that they cannot support different protocols at the time of bank consolidation. You will not be able to perform your work.

In order to solve such a problem, it is also considered to provide a service by providing a separate system in addition to the existing system, but this has the disadvantage that the cost is double when installing the system.

Therefore, the present invention excludes the data transfer independently performed by the branch processor that controls the transfer protocol between the host computer and the terminal having a different data format in the above-described conventional technology, the present invention is different network It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for interfacing between different models that can simultaneously support a computer system of a financial institution using a structure and a protocol.

In another aspect of the present invention, a branch processor using a Unix operating system and a branch processor using an operating system for Windows NT provide an interface device based on the operating system for Windows NT for cost down and user convenience. There is this.

In another aspect of the present invention, in financial institutions using different host systems, at the time of integration thereof, it is possible to smoothly support connection transactions between a UNIX-based host computer and an IBM-based terminal computer. The purpose is.

Figure 1a is a network configuration in which a general UNISYS host computer and the UNISYS terminal is interconnected,

1B is a network configuration diagram in which a typical IBM host computer and an IBM terminal are interconnected,

2 is a schematic block diagram showing an interface device between different models according to the present invention,

3 is a block diagram illustrating an internal communication interface of FIG. 2;

4 is a detailed block diagram of an interface device including a system interconnect in FIG. 2.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100, 102: IBM host, UNISYS host

104: branch processor 106: communication interface unit

109, 107: first and second connection portion

108: management process 112: system interconnect

114: common protocol 116: data conversion unit

An interface method between different models according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, in the interface between at least two host computers and terminals using different transmission protocols:

Receiving and converting a communication header and a transmission format of data from a terminal using different protocols; Performing data conversion between the protocol procedure and the different protocols after converting the communication header and the transport format; And transmitting the converted data to the one host computer through a corresponding transmission port.

Preferably, the converted communication header is characterized in that it contains information of the host computer.

In order to achieve the objects as described above, an interface device between different types according to another aspect of the present invention, when at least one terminal requests a service from a host computer using a different transmission protocol, the terminals First interface means for connecting the data generated by the respective protocols; Means for converting a communication header and a protocol procedure of said data received via said protocol into a transmission format of a destination host computer; And a second interface means for setting any one of at least two protocols set therein with the converted data and transmitting it to the host computer.

Preferably, the converting means converts a data format between a UNIX-based application program and an IBM-based application program into a format of the host computer.

Preferably, the data format conversion is performed based on Windows NT.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a block diagram showing an interface device between different types of host computer according to the present invention. The interface device 104, i.e., the branch processor, includes a first connection unit 109 for connecting to a corresponding interface and a protocol according to a transmission protocol for request data generated from a plurality of terminals, and a request transmitted through the first connection unit 109, respectively. Communication interface section 106 and management process 108, which provides all task libraries of data, and transmission protocol procedures for transferring request data sent from communication interface section 106 and management process 108 to different host computers. And a system interconnection unit 112 for performing data conversion and a second connection unit for transmitting the request data converted in the system interconnection unit 112 to the corresponding host computer, that is, the IBM host 100 and the UNISYS host 102. 107).

Here, the operating system for driving the apparatus uses Windows NT.

In addition, the tasks provided to the first and second connection units 109 and 107 of the interface device will be described below.

First, in the first connection unit 109, MCS I / F is IBM's message interface, and LAN ADPT converts data received from TCP / IP into TCP / IP format and transmits it to the upper layer, or transmits from the upper layer. It converts the converted data into TCP / IP format and transfers it to TCP / IP. Down line loading (DLL) refers to automatically downloading terminal work screen files or other files in a host computer to each terminal through a branch processor. Reliability Availability Security (RAS) implements functions such as creating, retrieving, and securing logs and journal traces for transactions and communication programs.

In addition, SOS (Server Object Service) is a program prepared for communication between FBA-Navigator terminals other than the host computer, FOS (Finacial Object Service) is a communication module of FBA-Navigator financial terminal branch to transmit and receive to the host computer Performs a function of communicating with a communication module provided to a processor. Here, FBA-Navigator is a package for developing a bank solution by consisting of programs necessary for financial related.

The tasks provided to the second connection unit 107 are protocol modules for performing data communication with the IBM host 100 and the UNISYS host 102, respectively.

3 is a block diagram illustrating an internal communication interface of FIG. 2. Enhanced Communkcation Organizer (ECO) library that provides interprocess communication using only functions provided by Windows NT system, Extended ECO LIB that converts between head of COVOS (Communication Vertual OS) and head of ECO, and COVOS providing function Consists of a COVOS interface library to perform the functions of.

4 is a detailed block diagram of an interface device including a system interconnect in FIG. 2. The branch processor 104 receives a request data generated from a plurality of terminals and transmits the request data through a first connection 109 connected to a corresponding protocol and converts the request data into a data format of a partner host computer 112. And a different protocol from the data converter 116 which deletes the terminal communication header of the request data delivered to the system interconnect 112 and converts it into the communication header of the host computer to be transmitted, and converts the application data. It consists of a common protocol section 114 provided for interfacing.

Hereinafter, a data conversion and transmission process in an interface device between different types of host computers will be described.

First, in the state where the IBM host 100 and the UNISYS host 102 are connected to one integrated branch processor, that is, the interface device 104, an automation device and an integrated terminal connected to a predetermined terminal, for example, a TCP / IP network. And when a connection request is generated in the new business terminal, the branch processor 104 reads the request data and then determines the number of transfer passes to start the branch processor and keep it open.

At this time, the request data of the automation device, the integrated terminal and the new business terminal is transmitted through the corresponding interface unit of the branch processor 100, that is, the MCS interface, the ATM interface, and the LAN adapter.

That is, data transmitted from the corresponding terminal via TCP / IP is transmitted to the system interconnect 112 which converts the format of the data for transmission to the host computer using a different protocol through the upper layer.

In addition, data generated in the terminal connected to the subordinate loop is also transmitted to the system interconnect 112 via TTCP.

Subsequently, when the country request data is generated from the corresponding terminal and the data path connection request is transmitted from the host computer to the branch processor 104, each host computer 100 and 102 is converted into an open state. Thereafter, the country request data generated at the terminal is transmitted to the host computer 100, 102, and the branch processor 104 receives the country data from the host computer 100, 102 and transmits the country data to the corresponding terminal. Becomes

When the transaction data is transmitted from the corresponding terminal, the corresponding function is received from the virtual operating system library of the communication interface unit 106 shown in FIG. 3 and transmitted to the designated host computer to be transmitted. In this case, the communication host included in the transmission data is designated by the communicating host computer, and data transmission is performed accordingly.

Meanwhile, data transmission in the case of using different protocols such as the UNISYS terminal device and the IBM host computer or the IBM terminal device and the UNISYS host computer will be described below.

Here, the data transmission process between the UNIX terminal and the IBM host computer 100 connected to the medium speed loop will be described.

Even in such a case, as described above, if the UNIX terminal connected to the medium speed loop requests transaction data after the host computer 100 and the terminal ready to transmit data have been completed, the transaction data is converted into TTCP. According to the control operation is transmitted to the system interconnection unit 112, and is transmitted to the common protocol unit 114 to receive a protocol necessary for mutual transmission with the IBM-based host computer 100 to be transmitted.

In this case, the transaction data includes a communication header indicating the host computer to be transmitted, that is, the IBM-based host computer 100.

The common protocol unit 114 removes the communication header indicating the UNISYS terminal and transmits transaction data to the data conversion unit 116 for data conversion.

The data conversion unit 116 includes an application of an IBM host, an application of a UNISYS host, and common data thereof, and performs conversion of mutual transaction data.

In other words, the application data used in the UNISYS host computer and the application data used in the IBM host computer can be converted to each other. In this case, the output means can be used in the order of the change in the contents of the transaction data file. Can be recorded and displayed.

Accordingly, the passbook output, display processing, and journal management of data by Unix-based and IBM-based applications can be processed by the converted data. Journal management refers to the function of storing and retrieving the tele transactions in the journal of the branch processor.

Subsequently, the data conversion unit 116 converts the transaction data generated from the UNISYS terminal into conformance with the transmission format of the IBM host 100, and then transfers the converted data back to the common protocol unit 114.

The common protocol unit 114 converts the information of the IBM host to which the UNISYS system terminal communicates, into data including a designated communication header, and transmits the data to the system interconnection unit 112.

The system interconnect 112 converts the data into the communication interface 106 format in order to transmit data to the IBM host 100 and transmits the data to the corresponding IBM host 100.

3 is an internal block diagram of a communication interface unit, and performs buffer management as a virtual operating system for an interface between branch internal processes 104. In other words, it secures its own buffer and links with the library provided by COVOS to run each process.

That is, by providing a common function and environment necessary for data conversion, the communication programs can be smoothly operated by modifying only the functions and environments provided therein when data is transferred between the terminal and the host computer.

As described in detail above, the present invention converts the transmission data format and the protocol procedure to simultaneously support the computer systems of financial institutions using different network structures and protocols, and then transfers data between the host computer and the terminal. By doing so, the merger between banks using different types of host computers has the effect of continuously performing online work without changing the host computer and the terminal or additional network construction.

In addition, it is possible to bring down the cost of using different types of host computers and terminals as it is, and to integrate the software used due to the unification of the operating system has the effect of simplifying the management and maintenance of the computer network.

Claims (5)

In the interface between at least two host computers and terminals using different transport protocols: (1) receiving and converting a communication header and a transmission format of data from a terminal using different protocols; (2) after converting the communication header and the transport format, performing data conversion between the protocol procedure and the different protocols; And And (3) transmitting the converted data to the one host computer through a corresponding transmission port. The method of claim 1, And the converted communication header includes information of the host computer. A first interface means for accessing data generated by the terminals for each protocol when at least one terminal requests a service from a host computer using a different transmission protocol; Means for converting a communication header and a protocol procedure of said data received via said protocol into a transmission format of a destination host computer; And And a second interface means for setting any one of at least two protocols set therein with the converted data and transmitting it to the host computer. The method of claim 3, And the converting means converts a data format between a UNIX-based application program and an IBM-based application program into a format of the host computer. The method of claim 4, wherein The data format conversion is performed on the basis of Windows NT interface device between different models.