KR20020040387A - IPC Message Switching Apparatus and Method Using Ethernet Switching Apparatus in ATM - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus and a method for exchanging an IPC(Inter Processor Communication) message using an ethernet switching device are provided to install the ethernet switching device in a module matching backplane of an ATM(Asynchronous Transfer Mode) switch, construct an IPC message dedicated star ethernet network, and transmit and receive the IPC message using an ethernet switching method. CONSTITUTION: An ethernet switching device(112) switches a path of an IPC ethernet frame transmitted from a transmission side processor and transmits the IPC ethernet frame to a receipt side processor. Each processor connects to a star ethernet network centering around the ethernet switching device(112). The ethernet switching device(112) is embedded in a main processor module(110).

Description

IPC Message Switching Apparatus and Method Using Ethernet Switching Apparatus in ATM}

The present invention relates to an IPC (Inter Processor Communication) message exchange apparatus and method using an Ethernet switching device in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switch, and more particularly, to an Ethernet switching device accommodated in an ATM switch. An apparatus and method for configuring an Ethernet network connecting each controller and transmitting and receiving IPC (Inter Processor Communication) messages.

In the conventional ATM switch, two methods are used to construct an IPC network. The first method is to place a commercial Ethernet hub or switch outside the ATM switch, and configure each Ethernet for IPC by connecting each controller with an Ethernet cable. This guarantees a stable communication path between controllers through the ATM switching network and the independent IPC network.However, since the control network configuration is made through a cable, it becomes cumbersome to manually change the cable connection according to the controller change. There is a problem that the configuration of the entire system is complicated.

The second method is to send and receive IPC messages using an ATM switching network that exchanges user data. This simplifies the whole system because there is no need for a separate device for the IPC network. However, since the user cell and the IPC message use the same network resources in the ATM switch, it is impossible to transmit a stable IPC message when the user cell is congested or the ATM switch network fails have.

Therefore, there is a demand for a method capable of guaranteeing both a simplified IPC network installation and a stable IPC message transmission in an ATM switch.

An object of the present invention for solving the problems of the prior art as described above, by mounting an Ethernet switching device on the module matching backplane board inside the ATM switch to build a radial Ethernet network dedicated to IPC messages, using an Ethernet switching scheme An apparatus and method for exchanging IPC messages using an Ethernet switching device for transmitting and receiving IPC messages is provided.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing an IPC network configuration using an Ethernet switching device of an ATM system for realizing the present invention;

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an Ethernet switching device of the main controller module shown in FIG. 1;

3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating IPC message routing in a point-to-point manner through the Ethernet switching device shown in FIG. 2;

4 is a block diagram showing a layer-specific IPC message format and a transport protocol of a transport protocol;

5 is a diagram illustrating a format of an IPC frame.

※ Explanation of code about main part of drawing ※

110: main controller module 111: main controller

112: Ethernet switching device 120: line card module

130: ATM switch module 121, 131: lower controller

140: connector 150: module matching backplane

An IPC message exchange apparatus using an Ethernet switching device according to the present invention for achieving the above object, in the ATM switch including a main controller module, a line card module, and an ATM switch module, the main controller and the line located in the main controller module An IPC message exchange device for Inter Processor Communication (IPC) of lower controllers located in a card module and an ATM switch module.

An Ethernet switching device for switching the path of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from the transmitting side controller to the receiving side controller, characterized in that each of the controllers connected to the radial Ethernet network around the Ethernet switching device.

In addition, the IPC message exchange method using the Ethernet switching device according to the present invention, in the ATM switch, control period communication between the main controller and the lower controller located in the line card module and the ATM switch module, respectively (Inter Processor Communication: IPC) Ethernet switching device for switching the path of the IPC message based on the Ethernet address assigned to each controller, IPC message exchange configured by connecting each controller to a radial Ethernet network around the Ethernet switching device In the IPC message exchange method in the device,

The IPC message transmitted by the transmitting controller is processed in the form of IPC Ethernet frame according to the Ethernet transmission protocol and transmitted to the Ethernet switching device.

The Ethernet switching apparatus reads a receiving Ethernet address from the IPC Ethernet frame to recognize a port number and transmits the IPC Ethernet frame to the receiving controller.

In addition, the IPC Ethernet frame structure according to the present invention, the switching side of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from the transmitting side controller for the inter-processor communication (IPC) located in each module in the ATM switch, the receiving side In the IPC Ethernet frame structure for implementing a method for connecting each controller to a radial Ethernet network around the Ethernet switching device for transmitting to the controller, and the controllers exchange IPC messages around the Ethernet switching device,

The IPC Ethernet frame includes a MAC header field recording an Ethernet address of a transmitting and receiving controller, an IP layer header field, an IPC data field, and an FCS field for error detection. The protocol type of the IP layer header field is an Ethernet transmission. It is characterized by a protocol defined.

In addition, the IPC message transmission method in the transmitting controller according to the present invention, the path of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from the transmitting controller for the inter-processor communication (IPC) located in each module in the ATM switch. In the transmitting side controller to implement a method of connecting each controller to a radial Ethernet network centering on the Ethernet switching unit to switch to the receiving side controller and to exchange IPC messages around the Ethernet switching unit. In the IPC message transmission method,

The transmitting side controller processes the IPC message in the form of an IPC Ethernet frame according to an Ethernet transmission protocol composed of a three-layer model including an application layer, an IP layer, and a network interface layer, and transmits the IPC message to the Ethernet switching device.

In addition, the IPC message switching method of the Ethernet switching device according to the present invention, for the interprocessor communication (IPC) between the controller located in each module in the ATM switch, the path of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from the transmitting controller. IPC messages of the Ethernet switching device for implementing a method of switching each controller to a radial Ethernet network centering on the Ethernet switching device that switches to the receiving side controller and exchanges IPC messages around the Ethernet switching device. In the switching method,

The IPC Ethernet frame includes a MAC header field that records the Ethernet address of the transceiver controller, an IP layer header field, and an IPC data field.

The Ethernet switching device reads the Ethernet address of the transceiver controller recorded in the MAC header of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from any transmitter controller, recognizes the position of the receiver controller, switches to the receiver controller, and connects the receiver. Delivering the IPC message frame to the side controller.

Hereinafter, an IPC message exchange apparatus and method using an Ethernet switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in more detail.

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an IPC network configuration using an Ethernet switching device of an ATM system for implementing the present invention.

The ATM switch is composed of a main processor module (110), a line card module (120), and an ATM switch module (130). Each module includes a controller. The main controller module 110 includes a main controller 111 that performs a role of an upper control system of the ATM switch, and the line card module 120 includes a lower controller 121 for line card module operation. ), And the ATM switch module 130 includes a lower controller 131 that performs a control system function related to user cell exchange. Each module is connected to the module matching backplane 150 through the connector 140 to exchange real and hernia information, inter-board matching signals, and IPC messages.

The main controller module 110 includes an Ethernet switching device 112 for switching an IPC message in an Ethernet frame format. All input / output ports 113 of the Ethernet switching device 112 are connected to the module matching backplane 150 so that the lower controllers 121 and 131 in each module are connected to the Ethernet switching device 112 without a separate cable. Connected to 151, a radial IPC network is built around the Ethernet switching device 112.

In the control period communication, a bottleneck may occur in which a large amount of IPC messages are concentrated from the lower controllers 121 and 131 to the main controller 111. This may reduce the real-time of IPC message processing and require urgent processing. This causes a delay in the IPC message. Therefore, in the present invention, the Ethernet controller 114 of the main controller 111 is configured with two or more, and the lower controllers 121 and 131 transmit the IPC message by dividing the channel according to the priority of the IPC message. The machine 111 forms IPC traffic information for each Ethernet channel in the form of an IPC message and transmits the same to the lower controllers 121 and 131, and the lower controllers 121 and 131 refer to the main controller based on the traffic information. Adjust the priority threshold value of the IPC message that is the Ethernet channel selection criterion. The up-link connector 115 for external Ethernet connection in the Ethernet switching device 112 serves as a window for monitoring IPC messages in an ATM switch through a workstation at a remote location. Since the IPC message path is separated from the user cell path 160 of the ATM exchange, IPC message delay due to congestion of the user cell can be prevented.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an Ethernet switching device of the main controller module shown in FIG. 1.

The IPC message signal in the Ethernet frame format arrives at the physical layer connection PHY 23 through the connection port 21 and the transformer 22, and is transmitted to the Ethernet switch 25 through the media independent interface (MII) 24. The Ethernet switch 25 reads a transmission / reception MAC address present in a header of an IPC message frame, connects a controller to communicate, and transmits an IPC message frame.

3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating IPC message routing in a point-to-point manner through the Ethernet switching device.

There are several boards in the main controller module 311, 312, ATM switch module 321, 322, and line card module 331, 332, 333, 334 of the ATM switch, and the controllers 313, 314 for each board. , 323, 324, 331, 332, 333, 334. For each control period communication (IPC), a radial Ethernet 341 is configured inside the ATM switch center around the Ethernet switching device 340 to create an IPC message path. The Ethernet switching device 340 has a controller connection port 342, and there is a MAC table connecting the controller's MAC address and port number. The controller processes the IPC message into an Ethernet frame form 350 according to the Ethernet protocol and transmits the IPC message to the Ethernet switching device 340. In the IPC message frame, a receiving MAC address and a sending MAC address are included. The receiving MAC address is used to obtain a port value to the destination controller, and the sending MAC address is used to generate and update connection information of the MAC table. The update function of the MAC table automatically updates the controller connection information of the Ethernet switching device 340 when the board is added or changed. The upper link port 343 supports IPC message transmission / reception at a remote location for connection with an external Ethernet.

4 is a block diagram illustrating a layer-specific IPC message format and a transport protocol of a transport protocol.

The IPC message generated by the transmitting controller 410 is transmitted to the receiving controller 440 according to the IPC protocol (IPCP: IPC Protocol) operating on the upper layer of the IP layer. IPCP is not a standard protocol and is defined according to the requirements of the developer. The IPC transport protocol is a three-layer model, which consists of application layers 411 and 441, IP layers 412 and 442, and network interface layers 413 and 443. The IPC application layers 411 and 441 generate and pass an IPC message 422 to the IP layer, and the IP layer adds an IP header 423 to the IPC message and passes it to the network interface layer. In the header of the IP layer, there is a protocol field for defining an upper protocol of the IP layer. By specifying a protocol code not defined in TCP / IP in the protocol field, the upper protocol of the IP layer is defined as IPCP (IPC Protocol). The network interface layer 413 adds the MAC header 424 to the IPC message packet received from the IP layer 412 to form an Ethernet frame, and delivers it to the destination controller through the Ethernet 451 inside the ATM switch.

The Ethernet switching block 451 establishes an IPC message path using a transmit / receive MAC address in the MAC header 424 added by the network interface layer 413, and transmits an IPC message to the reception controller 440.

5 is a diagram illustrating a format of an IPC frame.

The IPC frame consists of a network interface layer header 51, an IP layer header 52, IPC data 53, and a frame check sequence (FCS) 54 for error detection. In the IP layer header 52, there is a protocol field 55 indicating the upper protocol type. The IPC protocol (56) proposed in the present invention is used by using a value not assigned to a specific protocol (field values 0x50 to 0xFE). define.

While the invention has been described above based on the preferred embodiments thereof, these embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, or adjustments to the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims, and should be construed as including all such changes, modifications or adjustments.

As described above, according to the present invention, the Ethernet switching device is accommodated in some modules in the ATM switch, and the internal Ethernet is built and used as a dedicated path for the IPC message, so that the IPC message is not affected by the user cell congestion or abnormality of the switch. The transmission is made and the ATM exchanger's ability to deal with failures can be improved. In addition, the Ethernet switching device is accommodated in the ATM switch, so that each control period connection is made through a module matching backplane, and a control period communication network can be established without additional cabling even when adding a new controller or adding a module. have.

Claims (14)

In an ATM switch including a main controller module, a line card module, and an ATM switch module, interprocessor communication (IPC) is performed between a main controller located in the main controller module and lower controllers located in the line card module and the ATM switch module. In the IPC message exchange device, Ethernet switching device for switching the path of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from the transmitting side controller to the receiving side controller, the Ethernet switching device, characterized in that each of the controllers connected to the radial Ethernet network around the Ethernet switching device IPC message exchange device using. The method of claim 1, The Ethernet switching device is an IPC message exchange device using an Ethernet switching device, characterized in that embedded in the main controller module. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The Ethernet switching device, A plurality of connection ports to which the respective controllers are connected, a MAC table stored by connecting the Ethernet address and the port number of the controller, and a switching line for controlling the connection of the control period, Reads the Ethernet address of the transceiver controller added to the header of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from any transmitter controller and applies it to the MAC table to recognize the port number of the receiver controller, and connects the switching line of the receiver controller. IPC message exchange apparatus using an Ethernet switching device, characterized in that for transmitting the IPC Ethernet frame to the receiving controller. The method of claim 3, wherein The Ethernet switching device, An IPC message exchange device using an Ethernet switching device, characterized in that it further comprises an uplink port for supporting an IPC message transmission and reception function at a remote location by connecting to an external Ethernet. The method of claim 1, The radial Ethernet network IPC message exchange apparatus using an Ethernet switching device, characterized in that connected via the Ethernet connection line of the back plate board. The method of claim 1, The main controller has at least two Ethernet channels, The lower controller selects and transmits the Ethernet channel of the main controller according to the priority of the IPC message, and the main controller transmits the IPC traffic information for each Ethernet channel to the lower controller, and the lower controller sends the IPC traffic information. IPC message exchange apparatus using an Ethernet switching device, characterized in that for adjusting the priority threshold value. In an ATM switch, IPC message is based on the Ethernet address assigned to each controller for inter-processor communication (IPC) of the main controller and the line card module and the lower controllers located in the ATM switch module, respectively. In the IPC message exchange method in an IPC message exchange device comprising an Ethernet switching device for switching the path of the switch, configured by connecting each of the controllers in a radial Ethernet network around the Ethernet switching device, The IPC message transmitted by the transmitting controller is processed in the form of IPC Ethernet frame according to the Ethernet transmission protocol and transmitted to the Ethernet switching device. The Ethernet switching device reads the receiving Ethernet address from the IPC Ethernet frame to recognize the port number and transmits the IPC Ethernet frame to the receiving controller, IPC message exchange method using an Ethernet switching device. The method of claim 7, wherein The Ethernet transmission protocol, IPC message exchange method using an Ethernet switching device, characterized in that the three-layer model consisting of an application layer, IP layer and network interface layer. The method of claim 8, Ethernet transmission protocol of the transmitting controller, The application layer generates an IPC message and delivers it to the IP layer, The IP layer adds an IP header to the IPC message and delivers it to the network interface layer. The network interface layer IPC message exchange method using an Ethernet switching device, characterized in that to add the MAC address to the IP header IPC message added to make an IPC Ethernet frame and to the Ethernet switching device. The method of claim 7, wherein The main controller has at least two Ethernet channels, The lower controller selects and transmits the Ethernet channel of the main controller according to the priority of the IPC message, and the main controller transmits the IPC traffic information for each Ethernet channel to the lower controller, and the lower controller sends the IPC traffic information. IPC message exchange method using an Ethernet switching device, characterized in that for adjusting the priority threshold value. For the purpose of interprocessor communication (IPC) between the controllers located in each module in the ATM switch, each controller centers on an Ethernet switching device that switches the path of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from the transmitting controller to the receiving controller. In the IPC Ethernet frame structure for implementing a method for connecting the devices to a radial Ethernet network, the controllers to exchange IPC messages around the Ethernet switching device, The IPC Ethernet frame includes a MAC header field recording an Ethernet address of a transmitting and receiving controller, an IP layer header field, an IPC data field, and an FCS field for error detection. The protocol type of the IP layer header field is an Ethernet transmission. IPC Ethernet frame structure, characterized by the protocol defined. For the purpose of interprocessor communication (IPC) between the controllers located in each module in the ATM switch, each controller centers on an Ethernet switching device that switches the path of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from the transmitting controller to the receiving controller. In the method of transmitting an IPC message in a transmitting controller for implementing a method for connecting the devices to a radial Ethernet network, the controller exchanges IPC messages around the Ethernet switching device, The transmitter controller transmits the IPC message to the Ethernet switching device by processing an IPC message in the form of an IPC Ethernet frame according to an Ethernet transport protocol composed of a three-layer model including an application layer, an IP layer, and a network interface layer. IPC message transmission method in. The method of claim 12, Ethernet transmission protocol of the transmitting controller, The application layer generates an IPC message and delivers it to the IP layer, The IP layer adds an IP header to the IPC message and delivers it to the network interface layer. The network interface layer adds a MAC address to the IPC message to which the IP header is added to make an IPC Ethernet frame and transmits the IPC message to the Ethernet switching device. For the purpose of interprocessor communication (IPC) between the controllers located in each module in the ATM switch, each controller centers on an Ethernet switching device that switches the path of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from the transmitting controller to the receiving controller. In the IPC message switching method of the Ethernet switching device for implementing a method for connecting the devices to the radial Ethernet network, the controller exchanges the IPC message around the Ethernet switching device, The IPC Ethernet frame includes a MAC header field that records the Ethernet address of the transceiver controller, an IP layer header field, and an IPC data field. The Ethernet switching device reads the Ethernet address of the transceiver controller recorded in the MAC header of the IPC Ethernet frame transmitted from any transmitter controller, recognizes the position of the receiver controller, switches to the receiver controller, and connects the receiver. IPC message switching method of the Ethernet switching device, characterized in that for transmitting the IPC message frame to the side controller.