CN101425980A

CN101425980A - Method and apparatus for assisted managing arbitrary broadcast group in communication network device

Info

Publication number: CN101425980A
Application number: CNA2007100475655A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 姚春燕; 温海波; 郑军; 宾梵翔
Original assignee: Alcatel Lucent Shanghai Bell Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nokia Shanghai Bell Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-10-29
Filing date: 2007-10-29
Publication date: 2009-05-06

Abstract

The invention provides a method for performing assistant management to arbitrary multicast group member in access equipment of communication network or switch or router adjacent to user side. According to technical scheme of the invention, network equipment acquires related information with one or multiple arbitrary multicast groups added from one or multiple network node belonging to the network equipment, and controls other network equipment and network node communication adding in the one or multiple arbitrary multicast group by utilizing the related information with the arbitrary multicast group. The invention can save limited resource for edge router, reduces burden of edge router, simultaneously avoid arbitrary multicast group member message spreading at network and resulting bandwidth resource occupation even network jam.

Description

In the communication network device anycast group is assisted the method and the device of management

Technical field

The present invention relates to communication network field, relate in particular to the auxiliary management of the anycast group information about firms in the communication network.

Background technology

IPv6 (Internet protocol edition 6) supports clean culture (Unicast), multicast (Multicast) and broadcasts (Anycast) three kinds of load modes arbitrarily.Broadcast arbitrarily and be meant communicating by letter between any one in transmit leg and the group of recipient; Multicast is meant single transmit leg and corresponding one group of communication of selecting between the recipient; Clean culture is meant the communication between single transmit leg and the corresponding single recipient.

Based on broadcasting mechanism arbitrarily, by being a plurality of network nodes (server with identical function, access device, switch, main frame etc.) identical anycast address is set, any broadcast message that a network node (transmit leg) mails to this anycast address in the network can arrive a member among each member of this anycast group, this member's selection is decided according to the routing policy of network configuration, for example, the anycast group member who receives this any broadcast message can be a member minimum apart from the transmit leg jumping figure, also can be a member who sends back propagation delay time minimum from transmit leg, or the like.

Along with shared multimedia application (the Participatory Multi-partyMultimedia of multi-party, also claim community application) development, a lot of application servers are placed in user side, to make things convenient for main frame that multimedia document is provided and between a plurality of (family) members that are positioned at zones of different, to share this multimedia document, perhaps provide a game on line server having between a plurality of zones of different main frames of common hobby.

By broadcasting load mode arbitrarily, can place the backup server of a plurality of multimedia application at user side, wherein put into the copy of server content, thereby be service requester service effective, transparent, robust (robust) is provided, and can realize service discovery (servicediscovery).Especially for ADSL user, thereby " duplicate " server, can overcome the defective of upstream bandwidth bottleneck by the mode of a plurality of servers being formed anycast group.

For supporting to broadcast arbitrarily, need to satisfy two conditions: 1) anycast group member management (Anycast Group membership Management): broadcast router (in the prior art, being generally edge router) is collected necessity relevant with this anycast group from the network node that requires to add an anycast group information arbitrarily; 2) foundation and renewal routing table: according to collected information, broadcast router arbitrarily and set up the routing table of self respectively, comprise the anycast group relevant information in this table, each broadcasts the anycast group relevant information that exchanges between the router in the routing table separately arbitrarily, so that reconfigure routing table separately.

At present, support AGM by expansion multicast monitoring person discovery (MLD, Multicast ListenerDiscovery) and anycast group member agreement (AGMP, Anycast Group MembershipProtocol) usually.The common ground of these two solutions is: edge router is by periodically sending multicast inquiry to obtain the anycast group relevant information to All hosts, perhaps, obtain the anycast group relevant information in the multicast report that edge router is sent by the anycast group member.

Simultaneously, in actual applications, in most " inserting and the edge " network designs, an access node, Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM for example, Digital SubscriberLine Access Multiplexer) only has a connection in edge network side (connecting a side) to edge router, and have a plurality of connections (hundreds of even thousands of) at user side (connecting a side) to user terminal, an edge router is controlled dozens of DSLAM usually, so an edge router is often managed thousands of main frames.

Can predict, along with broadcasting further developing of professional deployment arbitrarily, because each main frame can belong to a plurality of anycast group, therefore, anycast group member will distribute more and morely at user side, the work load of edge router collection anycast group relevant information also will be increasing, as, i) because edge router itself will carry out routing function, if also will finish this simple function of anycast group member management, then also can take the CPU of edge router and influence the realization of its major function the processing of AGM protocol message; The ii) management expectancy manager of anycast group and sent multicast/broadcast message between the manager and inquire about and confirm group membership's information, but, edge router usually from some anycast group member (as, main frame) far, its multicast/broadcast territory is very big, midfeather multistage switches and DSLAM can cause these message the spreading of network, and waste a lot of bandwidth resources.

Summary of the invention

In view of there are the problems referred to above in prior art, the present invention is by the network equipment at close main frame, a first control device for example is set in the network access equipment, described first control device obtains the relevant information of its anycast group that each network node added of having jurisdiction over from the downstream, and control other network equipments and main frame communicates according to these anycast group relevant informations, thereby alleviated the burden of edge router, the anycast group relevant information that spreads in network is reduced to some extent.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a kind of method of anycast group being carried out assist control in the network equipment of communication network is provided, it is characterized in that, may further comprise the steps: the relevant information of obtaining one or more anycast group that one or more network node added that this network equipment has jurisdiction over; Utilize the relevant information of described anycast group to control other network equipment and the network node that adds in described one or more anycast group is communicated by letter.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a kind of first control device that anycast group is carried out assist control in the network equipment of communication network is provided, wherein, comprise: deriving means is used to obtain the relevant information of one or more anycast group that one or more network node added that this network equipment has jurisdiction over; Second control device is used for utilizing the relevant information of described anycast group to control other network equipment and communicates by letter with the network node that adds described one or more anycast group.

Adopt technical scheme provided by the invention, originally the partial function of anycast group member management of being born by edge router and route changes by other network equipments (for example DSLAM) and acts on behalf of, thereby alleviated the burden of edge router, reduced anycast group member management relevant information spreading on network, thus the conserve bandwidth resource.Preferably, the network equipment can therefrom select next the foundation with service requester of an only member to communicate by letter according to anycast group member's relevant information.

Description of drawings

Read following detailed description to non-limiting example by the reference accompanying drawing, other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious.

Fig. 1 is the schematic diagram of the network topology structure that adopts anycast group and communicate;

Fig. 2 is the systems approach flow chart that is used for auxiliary management anycast group member in communication network shown in Figure 1 according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is the schematic diagram of the network topology structure of the Ethernet that adopts anycast group and communicate;

Fig. 4 is the reduced graph of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is for being used for method flow diagram that the anycast group member is controlled according to a specific embodiment of the present invention at the access device place;

Fig. 6 illustrates according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and access device obtains and report the method flow diagram of anycast group relevant information according to the request of higher level's network equipment;

Fig. 7 is according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the flow chart of the specific implementation of step S10 shown in Figure 5 promptly obtains the flow chart of step of the anycast group information relevant with one or more anycast group of one or more main frames;

Fig. 8 is according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when a main frame withdraws from an a plurality of anycast group, anycast group is assisted the flow chart of the control method of management in the network equipment of IP network;

Fig. 9 is for being used for control device block diagram that the anycast group member is controlled according to a specific embodiment of the present invention at the access device place.

Wherein, same or analogous Reference numeral is represented same or analogous device (module) or steps characteristic.

Embodiment

The present invention introduces first control device/module that second aspect present invention provided in access device or switch or small-sized router, with the method that realizes that first aspect present invention was provided.Hereinafter, in conjunction with Fig. 1 and with the communication network based on the IP agreement be example present invention is described from system perspective, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention should be not limited to the communication network based on the IP agreement.

Fig. 1 illustrates according to the present invention in the network equipment and assists the control device of management to be applied to the network topology structure schematic diagram of an IP network to anycast group.Particularly, network shown in Figure 1 comprises a plurality of main frames 11 to 17; A plurality of routing devices be router four 1 to router four 7, a plurality of switches 31 to 35; And a plurality of access devices (for example DSLAM) 21 to 27.Wherein, each router, switch, access device have constituted a network jointly, and this network makes main frame finally can insert backbone network, other access networks or other servers, and this network also makes can shared resource between main frame.For example, by above-mentioned network, main frame 12,14,17 belongs to an anycast group (being called anycast group 1), and correspondingly,

main frame

13,15,17 belongs to another anycast group (being called anycast group 2).It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, a main frame, can add one or more different anycast group, for example main frame 17, it is as the member of anycast group 1, for service requester provides the service content of anycast group 1,, provide the service content of anycast group 2 for service requester also as the member of anycast group 2.When providing the service content of corresponding anycast group as the anycast group member for service requester, the function of

main frame

12,14,13,15,17 is equivalent to server.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the anycast group member described in the present invention is not limited to main frame, can also be referred to as network node for router, switch, access device etc.For simplicity, be that example describes with the main frame in this example.

Below with reference to Fig. 2, and, system of the present invention is carried out brief description in conjunction with Fig. 1.

At first, (with the main frame among Fig. 1 11 is example to a main frame in the network, as request server is the service requester of its service) need visit a certain specific anycast group, so, main frame 11 will send business request information, wherein has the address of an anycast group (being assumed to be anycast group 1).It will be understood by those skilled in the art that and have only when the routing device of management anycast group is known the relevant information of anycast group 1, could guarantee to be sent to this anycast group based on routing table from the described business request information of main frame 11.Hereinafter, be example with edge router 43, and in first control device/block configuration each access device in Fig. 1 of providing of hypothesis a second aspect of the present invention.

Step α, each access device 21-25 (following for easy, as to be that example describes with access device 22) sends the second anycast group query messages to its All hosts of being had jurisdiction on its link that is connected separately.

According to the present invention, no matter access device 22 whether receive from edge router 43 be used to inquire about anycast group 1 relevant information first broadcast group polling message arbitrarily after, access device 22 all can initiatively be finished described query manipulation, and alternatively Query Result is reported to router four 3, or Query Result preserved in order to what after this response router four 3 was sent first broadcast group polling message arbitrarily.Also promptly, 22 pairs of main frames of access device serve as AGM agency (proxy) functions of modules, have promptly acted on behalf of in the prior art the collection of the anycast group information about firms of being finished by edge router and the function of management.

The content of the described inquiry that access device 22 is carried out as: inquire whether one or more main frames are states of the member of one or more anycast group.Particularly, the second anycast group query messages that sends of access device 22 is divided into 2 kinds of situations:

Situation 1: general anycast group query messages (general query is to call GQ message in the following text)

In the starting stage, for the anycast group member on the fast and reliable ground discovery link, access device 22 starts at this AGM proxy module (can be in this module of i.e. acquiescence startup that powers on, perhaps manually input command is capable, or mutual by graphic interface, or configuration file etc. starts this module) after, promptly all links to its connection send GQ message.This query messages is access device 22 spontaneous transmissions, need not asked and is initiated by higher level's network equipment (being generally directly the higher level equipment with the access device cascade, can be edge router, also switch etc.).After initialization, the access device 22 of being responsible for this link sends GQ message with first predetermined period on this link, to obtain all useful anycast addresses on this link.This GQ message is sent to the multicast address (for example, the multicast address FF02::1. among the IPv6) of the all-network node in this link range, that is, its All hosts that connects down all can be received this second anycast group query messages.

First predetermined period herein can determine based on the demand of empirical data or operator artificially that this is that those skilled in the art will be understood that, does not do at this and gives unnecessary details.

Situation 2: specific anycast group query messages (specific query is hereinafter to be referred as SQ message)

Under this situation, the second anycast group query messages is sent to multicast address (for example, the multicast address FF02::1. among the IPv6) corresponding to the all-network node in this link range, promptly its down all main frames all can receive this query requests.

Specific anycast group query messages can be changed by some conditions of the proxy module inside in this access device 22 and trigger, and can trigger specific anycast group query messages alternatively from the business request information of main frame 11.The condition of this proxy module inside comprises:

I) certain in anycast group membership table is organized and is sent when last group membership withdraws from.

Ii) or when the corresponding list item ageing timer of a certain anycast group (valid expiration date of representing this list item is about to or has reached) send when will or expire.

In addition, at multiple access link (Multi access link, whether the access device ethernet link for example) also needs to judge to be useful on the same link (Link) assists management and other littler network equipment of IP address also obtaining the anycast group relevant information of same or a plurality of main frames to anycast group, when having such network equipment, this access device will no longer obtain the anycast group relevant information of described one or more main frames, no longer exist until described other network equipment that satisfies above-mentioned condition.Specify as followsly, for example, when access device is the switch of Ethernet, situation as shown in Figure 3 will occur, for simplicity's sake, main frame 18 and 19 only are shown in Fig. 3, switch 36 to 38.Its reduced graph as shown in Figure 4, below at Fig. 4, carry out brief description.At same main frame 18, may exist a plurality of switches all to obtain the anycast group relevant information of this main frame, for example, the switch 36 among Fig. 4 connects main frame 18, another switch 38 also connects main frame 18, and promptly switch 36 and switch 38 all can obtain the anycast group relevant information of main frame 18.Under these circumstances, if switch 36,38 all send the anycast group query messages to main frame 18, then can cause potential topology loop, therefore, in the present embodiment, need to whether existing two or more switches all to judge to the situation that same main frame sends query messages as inquiry's identity, if determine to exist such situation, a switch then selecting IP address minimum is as the inquiry, other one or more inquiries that also can the switch that this same main frame is inquired about then be re-used as this main frame, the deriving means that redefines an IP address minimum when current inquiry no longer works again is as the inquiry.Particularly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, can set the time interval of one " inquiry at interval ", if do not have deriving means to send query messages as the inquiry later at this interval, then a switch automatic (once more) begins described main frame is inquired about.Such situation usually occurs in the situation that the All hosts that exists on the same link on one or more main frames, a plurality of switch and this link can be received the query messages that one or more switches send, the common practise that this belongs to those skilled in the art does not repeat them here.Certainly, when a plurality of inquiry occurring, a network equipment that also can the IP address is bigger is as the inquiry, and this does not influence flesh and blood of the present invention.Those skilled in the art also are appreciated that, similarly, when access device is DSLAM or sub-district router, also may exist a plurality of DSLAM or sub-district router to obtain the information of a main frame simultaneously, the information processing situation of obtaining same main frame with a plurality of switches is identical, does not repeat them here.

For above-mentioned situation 1 and situation 2, all can trigger main frame 12 and enter step β.

Among the step β, after main frame 12 receives the second anycast group query messages (GQ message or SQ message), its interface by receiving described query messages (usually, a main frame has only an interface, but, when a main frame is connected on a plurality of networks, then corresponding different network has a plurality of interfaces) one second anycast group report message is transmitted in the address of all-router in comprising link range, comprises the global ip address of main frame 12 and its adding in this report message or the group address of all anycast group of withdrawing from; Especially, for the situation of SQ message, comprise the relevant information that the IP address of overall importance of main frame 12 and access device require those anycast group of inquiring about in the described second anycast group report message that main frame 12 sends.

In addition, for step β, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that described main frame can be periodically spontaneous for the report of anycast group information, and might not just initiate based on the second anycast group query messages.

After access device 22 receives the second anycast group report message that its each main frame that inserts reports up, enter step γ, at first, the legitimacy of the report message that inspection receives, if it is legal, then the anycast group information of safeguarding in the access device 22 is directly increased (situation that newly adds anycast group corresponding to a main frame) according to these report informations, upgrade and (added an anycast group corresponding to a main frame, but the situation that partial information wherein (for example unicast address of this main frame) is modified) operation or deletion, for example main frame selects to withdraw from the group of its adding, preferably, access device 22 can merge processing to the information of above-mentioned change, will belong to same any group changed information and be merged into a record.

-particularly, for the new situation that adds an anycast group of a main frame, access device is after receiving the report message of main frame, retrieve the database of own internal maintenance earlier, if after having found the record of this anycast group, just the relevant information (for example, Dui Ying interface IP address) with this main frame joins in the record; If after the inner database of search is not found the record of this anycast group, just create a record for this anycast group.

-withdraw from the situation of an anycast group for a main frame, then in the recorded information of this group, with the relevant information deletion of this main frame.If detect simultaneously this access device 22 this have only in group arbitrarily described deletion record of main frame and deleted after, then the relevant information of 22 times these anycast group of access device is also deleted.

In addition, preferably, the information of access device 22 places arrangement comprises some performance informations of main frame correspondence, comprises the simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of main frame; The current number that has connected of main frame; The main frame maximum response time; The main frame bandwidth; The reliability of main frame; The service quality of main frame.Access device gathers tactful consistent that the information of (summary) will be with the upper management network equipments configuration.

In order to obtain the relevant information of anycast group 1, in the steps A, edge router 43 sends first to subordinate equipment and broadcasts group polling message arbitrarily, has the member that main frame 11 is required the anycast group 1 of request inquiry under its command to be informed in which access device.

Access device 22 enters step B after receiving the anycast group query messages that is sent by edge router 43 in the steps A, searches the anycast group information of self maintained.Described anycast group information is the generation result of above-mentioned step α to γ, but the ordinal relation that step B and step α to γ do not accept, step B and step α to γ can carry out simultaneously, be access device 22 inquiry self safeguard anycast group information the time, access device 22 also can be inquired about subordinate's member's main frame, and upgrades the anycast group information that access device is safeguarded.

Access device 22 needs to judge whether the anycast group information of its maintenance is empty:

I) if the anycast group information that access device 22 is safeguarded is sky

First kind of situation: this access device directly abandons this IP bag;

Second kind of situation: the step of direct execution in step α to γ, this access device is inquired about the second anycast group report message of step γ report again, if in the predetermined cycle, do not return Query Result, the information that does not have the anycast group that will inquire about under this access device then is described, then this access device just abandons this IP bag.

II) the anycast group information safeguarded of access device 22 is for empty

Whether the anycast group information that inquiry access device 22 is safeguarded has the upper management network equipment to want information inquiring, enters step C then.

In the embodiment of a variation,, then can carry out the operation of α in real time, and then enter step C to γ if access device 22 after the own anycast group information of being safeguarded of inquiry, does not inquire the information of the anycast group that will inquire about.

Among the step C, access device 22 generates the first anycast group report information with the anycast group information about firms that obtains and reports to the upper management network equipment, wherein, is divided into 3 kinds of situations:

I) report the information of the anycast group of all renewals.

Those skilled in the art as can be known, the sign that higher level equipment only need be known certain anycast group (for example, can be the address of anycast group) and the pairing outgoing interface of this higher level equipment (the pairing outgoing interface of higher level equipment is that higher level equipment obtains according to prior art, irrelevant with the present invention), can finish a certain access device that is routed to of IP bag, specifically determine again by access device which concrete main frame the IP bag is delivered to, and the concrete main frame member's who does not need to know in the anycast group and added information.So, in the message of access device 22 reports, only need the sign (for example, can be the address of anycast group) of report anycast group necessarily.For the information about firms of access device 22 place's correspondences, then determine whether needs report according to the configuration of higher level's managing network device.Particularly, for example, the strategy of upper management network equipments configuration is a strategy at random, then access device 22 need not to report member's host information of access device 22 place's correspondences, but wait IP to wrap the database lookup of safeguarding according to the access device place when arriving, when the strategy of upper management network equipments configuration is to reach effect of load balance, then access device 22 need gather one information of the value minimum of simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of main frame and the current number that has been connected of main frame to (summary) upper management network equipment; Perhaps, when the strategy of upper management network equipments configuration guarantees minimum time delay, promptly user terminal requires when very high the real-time of content, and then access device 22 need report to the main frame maximum response time upper management network equipment.Perhaps when the strategy of upper management network equipments configuration be that user experience requires when high, the parameter that access device 22 is high with the service quality of main frame reports to the upper management network equipment.

The situation that can trigger report usually is specific as follows:

A) do not have the member of certain anycast group originally below this access device 22, after one or more main frames that it inserts down added, access device had the member of anycast group.

B) this access device 22 is connected to the member of certain anycast group originally, after one or more main frames withdraw from this anycast group, and the member of this anycast group not below this access device 22.

Ii) report relevant information at query requests and the specific anycast group of upper management equipment

If upper management equipment is initiated query requests to access device 22, represent that then higher level equipment is interested in certain specific anycast group, at this moment, whether the information no matter access device 22 obtains contains still updated information not of updated information, as long as any group the member that access device is inquired about for 22 times to some extent, it just reports a message, comprises the address of this anycast group in the message necessarily, tell upper management equipment, this access device is connected to member's main frame of this anycast group for 22 times.If this access device does not have the member of the anycast group that will inquire about for 22 times, access device 22 is not just reported.In the embodiment of a variation, if access device 22 does not get access to the member's of anycast group information, access device 22 can send an acknowledge message to higher level equipment, informs that its zone of being had jurisdiction over of higher level equipment does not comprise the anycast group member that will inquire about to some extent.In the embodiment of another variation, if access device 22 does not obtain the anycast group member's that will inquire about information, it can carry out inquiring about to main frame in real time in the threshold value of the number of times of setting, if inquire required anycast group member's information, perhaps the number of times of being inquired about equal to set frequency threshold value the time, just finish inquiry, and return corresponding results.

Iii) report the Query Result of GQ with second predetermined period

Access device 22 reports to edge router 43 with the Query Result of GQ, with the AGM proxy module of informing edge router 43 these access device 22 places operate as normal whether.

Second predetermined period herein can determine based on the demand of empirical data or operator artificially that this is that those skilled in the art will be understood that, does not do at this and gives unnecessary details.

Enter step D then, wherein, edge router 43 will route to suitable access device place from the IP bag of main frame 11 according to Existing policies.

Enter step e then, access device 22 is sent to only main frame according to certain forwarding strategy of broadcasting arbitrarily with this IP bag, to set up communicating by letter between this main frame and the main frame 11.Concrete, for example, suppose that an access device has a plurality of outbound ports that member's main frame of a certain anycast group is all arranged, then described forwarding strategy can be at random, promptly according to this strategy, selects one of them outbound port that the IP bag is sent out at random.

In addition, preferably, broadcast strategy arbitrarily and can also rely on following information, the simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of main frame; The current number that has connected of main frame; The main frame maximum response time; The main frame bandwidth; The reliability of main frame; The service quality of main frame.For example, in order to reach effect of load balance, access device can select the simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of main frame to deduct of value minimum of the current number that has connected of main frame; Perhaps, in order to guarantee minimum time delay, promptly user terminal requires can consider to select the main frame maximum response time the shortest when very high to the real-time of content.Perhaps user terminal requires when high user experience, selects the higher main frame of service quality.

Below, with reference to Fig. 5 and in conjunction with Fig. 1 the specific embodiment of a first aspect of the present invention is introduced, wherein, Fig. 2 and associated description thereof are incorporated herein by reference.With access device 21 shown in Figure 1 is example.

Execution in step S10 at first, access device 21 obtains the anycast group information relevant with one or more anycast group of one or more main frames.In the present embodiment, described operation of obtaining anycast group information is by placing described access device 21 to be used for assisting the first control device of management initiatively to finish to anycast group, no matter and whether the network equipment of above-mentioned management anycast group (for example router) sends the information that inquiry is broadcast arbitrarily.The main frame that described access device 21 is managed (covering) may be one, also may be a plurality of, described access device can initiatively obtain the anycast group relevant information of the All hosts that this network equipment manages, and for example inquires whether one or more main frames are states of one or more anycast group members.In the present embodiment, access device 21 is wished the relevant relevant information of all anycast group on network link of inquiry, then on this link, send GQ message, for example this GQ message is sent to a multicast address (for example multicast address FF02::1. among the IPv6).

After having obtained the anycast group relevant information, then enter step S11, the relevant information of accessed anycast group is reported to higher level's network equipment.It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that described " higher level's network equipment " can be according to anycast group being assisted the difference of the residing position of equipment (DSLAM) of management corresponding variation is arranged.For example, suppose that access device 21 is a DSLAM, and its upper strata another DSLAM that is cascade, then its higher level equipment is described another DSLAM, if the DSLAM upper strata connects is switch, then its higher level equipment is a switch.For the present invention, the above-mentioned first control device that anycast group is assisted management is as long as report to its higher level equipment with its anycast group relevant information of obtaining, and concrete report manner is same as the prior art, does not repeat them here.And this higher level equipment is again according to prior art, and with the anycast group relevant information of being obtained, Final Report is given the edge router of management.The common practise that this belongs to those skilled in the art does not repeat them here.

Enter step S12.It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that between step S12 and step S11 does not have tangible sequencing, and step S12 can accept step S10, only convenient for statement shown in Fig. 5.In the prior art, promptly determine at edge router 43 places peer node (as, which the main frame 11 of request service) should communicate with the concrete network node (i.e. anycast group member) under the edge router, yet in the present invention, even the edge router described main frame 11 of 43 appointments and certain specific main frame (as, main frame 17) communication, this edge router 43 still needs to inquire about to access device 21, just can learn the relevant information of this main frame 17, for example, linking number that can respond simultaneously or the like, and will wrap that main frame of forwarding by which port on the access device.In addition, when edge router was not specified concrete which main-machine communication, access device 21 can carry out Route Selection according to the relevant information of its anycast group of obtaining, be about to send to only main frame, to set up communication from the business request information of main frame 11.

In the present embodiment one changes in the example, behind step S10, also comprise S11 ', access device is to the relevant information according to received anycast group, for anycast group sign and the network node that adds this anycast group are set up mapping relations, i.e. corresponding relation between anycast group sign (for example anycast group address) and the anycast group member.And these mapping relations are directly increased (situation that newly adds anycast group corresponding to a main frame), upgrade the operation of (added an anycast group, but the situation that partial information wherein (for example unicast address of this main frame) is modified) or deletion (for example main frame selects to withdraw from the group of its adding) corresponding to a main frame.In addition, access device also can be further, anycast group and group membership are merged processing, generate one or more anycast group record, with the anycast group information relevant with one or more anycast group as described one or more main frames, in the present embodiment, the anycast group identification information (for example address information of anycast group) in the anycast group information after these arrangements will be reported to the network equipment that is used to manage anycast group, for example edge router.The workload that the network equipment that described arrangement step makes above-mentioned edge router or other be used to manage anycast group is used to manage anycast group (for example inquiring about/obtain anycast group information) reduces widely.

Particularly, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that in the present embodiment that the report information that receives from each main frame may be such: for example, received arbitrarily the broadcast information relevant, comprising anycast group 1, anycast group 2 with it from main frame 12; Received the information of broadcasting arbitrarily that main frame 13 is correlated with from main frame 13, comprising anycast group 1, anycast group 3, received arbitrarily the broadcast information relevant from main frame 14 with it, comprising anycast group 2,4, at this moment, can be an anycast group record with the host information arrangement relevant with anycast group 1, similarly, thus can be that an anycast group record is convenient to anycast group is managed with the host information arrangement relevant with anycast group 2.Particularly, in one embodiment, described anycast group record (list item) can adopt form as shown in table 1 below:

Table 1

The anycast group address	Broadcast the member address arbitrarily	Member's sign	Outgoing interface	......
The anycast group address	Broadcast the member address arbitrarily	Member's sign	Outgoing interface	......	Anycast group 1	Main frame 12 addresses	......	......	......
	Main frame 13 addresses	......	......	......	Anycast group 1	Main frame 12 addresses	......	......	......
	Main frame 13 addresses	......	......	......	Anycast group 2	Main frame 12 addresses	......	......	......
	Main frame 14 addresses	......	......	......	Anycast group 2	Main frame 12 addresses	......	......	......
	Main frame 14 addresses	......	......	......	......	......	......	......	......

Wherein, the descriptor of the first behavior group record in the last table 1, second row, the third line are the anycast group record of anycast group 1, fourth line, fifth line are the anycast group record of anycast group 2.More specifically, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that at Fig. 1 to embodiment shown in Figure 9 that described anycast group record can comprise: anycast group address, anycast group member tabulate and broadcast interface list information arbitrarily.And change in the example at one, described anycast group record can also comprise the service quality of the reliability/network node of the simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of main frame and/or the current number that has connected of main frame maximum response time/main frame/main frame bandwidth/main frame except above-mentioned information.Correspondingly, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that in the above-described embodiments that described mapping can also be expressed as a database (not shown in figure 1), this database is used to store above-mentioned anycast group record and other relevant informations.The common practise that this all belongs to those skilled in the art does not repeat them here.

Fig. 6 illustrates according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and access device obtains and report the method flow diagram of anycast group relevant information according to the request of higher level's network equipment.In the present embodiment, at first execution in step S20 receives the anycast group query messages from the network equipment of management anycast group.For example, usually, described anycast group query messages occurs with the form of a multicast inquiry message, and the common practise that this belongs to those skilled in the art does not repeat them here.In such embodiments, be based on to the network equipment report of anycast group management that the active inquiry of higher level's network equipment carries out, so behind the query messages that receives above-mentioned inquiry anycast group, just carry out corresponding action.Particularly, in the present embodiment, the query messages of described inquiry anycast group is inquired about at specific anycast group, so after entering step S21, judge the relevant information that whether comprises described specific anycast group of being inquired about in the described information that gets access to, for example in described query messages, require the relevant information of inquiry anycast group 1, therefore, control device in the network equipment of anycast group being assisted management is judged the information that whether comprises this anycast group 1 in its accessed anycast group information, this can not be described in detail at this by being that keyword is retrieved in accessed anycast group relevant information and realized with anycast group 1 at least.If the judged result of described step S21 negates, promptly do not comprise the relevant information of the specific anycast group of being inquired about, then do not return any message, this processing procedure finishes; And change in the example at one, also can enter step S22 ', return the response message of one " not comprising this anycast group relevant information " or similar content.On the contrary, if the judged result of described step S21 is sure, be to comprise the described specific relevant information of broadcasting arbitrarily of being inquired about in the described information that gets access to, execution in step S22 then, according to broadcasting group polling message arbitrarily from described first of this upper management network equipment, generate the first anycast group report message, wherein comprise this upper management network equipment and ask the relevant information of the anycast group of inquiring about, enter step S23 then, the described first anycast group report message that generates is sent to this upper management network equipment.

A preferred variant according to the foregoing description, after in step S21, obtaining the negative evaluation result, this method enters following steps: present networks equipment is inquired about to its one or more main frames of having jurisdiction over, required the relevant anycast group relevant information of specific anycast group of inquiring about to obtain with higher level's network equipment, require the relevant anycast group relevant information of specific anycast group of inquiring about if fail to obtain higher level's network equipment, then repeat above-mentioned acquisition process, if the number of times that repeats to inquire about reaches the relevant anycast group relevant information of specific anycast group that the threshold value of default does not obtain the inquiry that requires yet, then fail to obtain the anycast group relevant information relevant with this anycast group to the report of higher level's network equipment.Require the relevant anycast group relevant information of specific anycast group of inquiring about if in the threshold value of the inquiry times of default, obtain institute, then enter step S22 and generate the corresponding first anycast group report message.

Above-mentioned step S21 shown in Figure 6, step S22, step S23 mainly concentrate on report message is inquired about and correspondingly sent to specific anycast group.

And change in the example at another, inquire about at all anycast group relevant informations of All hosts from the anycast group query messages of the network equipment of managing anycast group among the described step S20, at this moment, then described step S21 can omit, and directly returns the anycast group relevant information that all get access to through step S22 and S23.This is more common report manner, is not described in detail at this.

For step S22, those skilled in the art as can be known, the sign that higher level equipment only need be known certain anycast group (for example, can be the address of anycast group) and pairing this higher level equipment lead to the outbound port of subordinate equipment, can finish a certain access device of being routed to of packet, specifically determine again by access device which concrete main frame the IP bag is delivered to, and the concrete main frame member who does not need to know in the anycast group and added.So, in the described first anycast group report message that access device generates, the sign of a need report anycast group (for example necessarily, can be the address of anycast group), and do not need to report corresponding information about firms (a part of information of corresponding member alternatively, tactful corresponding with the upper management network equipment is for broadcasting routing function should be routed to the IP bag of going to this anycast group this anycast group according to set policy selection which member arbitrarily.Arrived the access device place at the IP bag, can use when transmitting again, and not need to report to higher level equipment) by access device.

The situation that triggers report is specific as follows:

A) do not have the member of certain anycast group originally below this access device, after one or more main frames that it inserts down added, access device had the member of anycast group.

B) this access device is connected to the member of certain anycast group originally, after one or more main frames withdraw from this anycast group, and the member of this anycast group not below this access device.

Fig. 7 illustrates according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the flow chart of the specific implementation of step S10 shown in Figure 5 promptly obtains the flow chart of the relevant information of one or more anycast group that one or more network node added that access device has jurisdiction over.In the present embodiment, execution in step S100 at first sends the second anycast group query messages to the undernet node of present networks equipment; Enter step S101 then, reception is from the second anycast group report message of described undernet node, and the described second anycast group report message is used to report the relevant information of present networks one or more anycast group that one or more network node added that equipment is had jurisdiction over.It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that whether to add or withdraw from an anycast group to determine by main frame, therefore, must by obtain from this main frame with broadcast relevant information arbitrarily and could finally determine this main frame and the relation of broadcasting arbitrarily.In the present embodiment, by broadcasting relevant information arbitrarily to what anycast group assisted that the mode of control device active inquiry of management obtains a main frame or a plurality of main frames by described.It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that above-mentioned broadcasting arbitrarily of obtaining may be in disorder for information about, for example, received arbitrarily the broadcast information relevant, comprising anycast group 1, anycast group 2 with it from main frame 12; Received the information of broadcasting arbitrarily that main frame 13 is correlated with from main frame 13,, at this moment, can be an anycast group record with anycast group 1 relevant host information arrangement, thereby be convenient to anycast group is managed comprising anycast group 1, anycast group 3.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that above-mentioned steps S100 can be accomplished in several ways in different variation examples.For example, change in the example at one, in described step S100, send the message of the relevant information of inquiring about specific anycast group to all (described assist the network equipment of management to manage) main frames to anycast group, at this moment, correspondingly, each main frame will return the response message relevant with this specific anycast group respectively, if this main frame and these specific anycast group are irrelevant, then may not return any response message.And change in the example at another, described step S100 sends the message of the relevant information of the specific anycast group of inquiry to described one or more main frames at predetermined instant, in such variation example, stress to control and send the time of broadcasting query messages arbitrarily to main frame, rather than all send similar query messages whenever and wherever possible, for example sent one query message every 30 seconds.Change in the example at another, then directly determine whether to send and broadcast query messages arbitrarily, for example only send these query messages in the idle relatively moment of network according to the network busy extent.Change in the example at other, in described step S100, can also send the anycast group query messages, at this moment, have only particular host can receive that just similar query messages also correspondingly returns the anycast group relevant information of these main frames to particular host.

Again with reference to figure 7, in the foregoing description and variation example, arbitrarily the broadcast information relevant with main frame all just obtains after sending query messages to main frame, and promptly main frame is passively to being used for assisting the control device of management to send the anycast group relevant information of this main frame to anycast group.And in another changed example, described main frame directly sent the anycast group relevant information of this main frame, no matter and whether receive the query messages that is used for anycast group assist the control device of managing from described.

Fig. 8 illustrates according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when a main frame withdraws from one or more anycast group, anycast group is assisted the flow chart of the control method of management in the network equipment of IP network.In the present embodiment, described main frame wishes to withdraw from one or more anycast group, at this moment, it initiatively assists the control device of management to send the report information (or request message) that withdraws from these one or more anycast group to described being used for to anycast group, correspondingly, the described control device execution in step S31 at first that is used for anycast group is assisted management receives the report information that withdraws from one or more anycast group from the requirement of main frame; Enter step S32 then, deletion and the relevant information of described one or more main frames from the anycast group record of described one or more anycast group correspondences.In above-mentioned steps S31, described being used for assists the control device of management not send any query messages to anycast group, but directly send the report information that withdraws from anycast group by main frame, such step is more suitable in practical application, because after main frame is determined to withdraw from one or more anycast group, should the network equipment (for example router) that request message sends to the management anycast group will be withdrawed from as soon as possible, thereby make this network equipment upgrade anycast group information in time, finally make the corresponding stream of multicast data arbitrarily not send to the main frame that withdraws from this anycast group.

Below, with reference to Fig. 9 and in conjunction with Fig. 1 each specific embodiment of a second aspect of the present invention is described, wherein, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8 illustration are incorporated herein by reference.Each access device that it is example that first control device 10 shown in Figure 9 is arranged in access device 21 shown in Figure 1 wherein, comprises deriving means 100, annunciator 101, second control device 102, first receiving device 103.Wherein, deriving means 100 also comprises second dispensing device 1000 and second receiving system 1001, and annunciator also comprises generating apparatus 1010 and dispensing device 1011.

Particularly, described deriving means 100 is responsible for obtaining the anycast group information relevant with one or more anycast group of one or more main frames; 101 anycast group report information relevant with one or more anycast group with accessed one or more main frames of described annunciator are given the network equipment that described one or more main frames is carried out the anycast group management.With reference to figure 9, according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, described deriving means 100 initiatively obtains anycast group information, no matter and whether the network equipment (for example router four 3) that is used to manage anycast group sends first broadcasts group polling message arbitrarily.The network equipment at described first control device 10 places (as, access device 21) main frame of managing (covering) may be one, also may be a plurality of, described deriving means 100 for example inquires with initiatively obtaining the anycast group relevant information of the All hosts that this network equipment manages whether one or more main frames are states of the member of one or more anycast group.For example, in the present embodiment, wish all anycast group relevant informations on network link of inquiry, then on this link, send General Query message, for example this General Query message is sent to a multicast address (for example multicast address FF02::1. among the IPv6).

Obtained with the anycast group relevant information after, described annunciator 101 is as long as report to immediate router with the anycast group relevant information that it obtained, in this process, may pass through one or more other network equipments (for example switch etc.), then, upward level router be handled and be reported to the router that receives these information can automatically according to prior art to broadcasting information arbitrarily.The common practise that this belongs to those skilled in the art does not repeat them here.

The 101 performed operations of second control device 102 and annunciator can walk abreast, and do not have tangible sequencing.In the prior art, promptly determine at edge router 43 places peer node (as, the main frame 11 of request service) which network node (an anycast group member) under the Ying Yuqi communicates, yet among the present invention, even the edge router described main frame 11 of 43 appointments and certain specific main frame (as, main frame 17) communication, it still needs to inquire about to access device 21, just can learn the relevant information of this main frame, for example, linking number that can respond simultaneously or the like, and bag is sent to that main frame by which interface on this equipment.In addition, when edge router was not specified concrete which main-machine communication, second control device 102 can carry out Route Selection according to the relevant information of its anycast group of obtaining.To send to only main frame from the business request information of main frame 11, to set up communication.Concrete, can comprise the simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of main frame according to following information; The current number that has connected of main frame; The main frame maximum response time; The main frame bandwidth; The reliability of main frame; The service quality of main frame.

For example, in order to reach effect of load balance, access device can select the simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of main frame to deduct of value minimum of the current number that has connected of main frame; Perhaps, in order to guarantee minimum time delay, promptly user terminal requires can consider to select the main frame maximum response time the shortest when very high to the real-time of content.Perhaps user terminal requires when high user experience, selects the high main frame of service quality of main frame.

In another alternate embodiment in the present embodiment, first control device 10 also comprises creates the updating device (not shown), the relevant information of the anycast group that described establishment updating device is obtained according to deriving means 100, for anycast group sign and the network equipment that adds this anycast group are set up mapping relations, i.e. corresponding relation between anycast group sign (for example anycast group address) and the anycast group member.And these mapping relations are directly increased (situation that newly adds anycast group corresponding to a main frame), upgrade the operation of (added an anycast group, but the situation that partial information wherein (for example unicast address of this main frame) is modified) or deletion (for example main frame selects to withdraw from the group of its adding) corresponding to a main frame.

Again with reference to figure 9, in the present embodiment, on the aspect of entity apparatus, described first control device 10 comprises a upstream Interface and one or more downstream interface, described upstream Interface connects the last layer network equipment, for example be used for routing device that anycast group is managed, by this upstream Interface with accessed one or more main frames with broadcast relevant report information arbitrarily and give the described network equipment (for example last layer routing device) that anycast group is managed of being used for; Described downstream interface then connects a plurality of main frames respectively, obtains main frame and the operation of broadcasting relevant information arbitrarily thereby send query messages and correspondingly receive to finish from the report information of main frame to main frame by each downstream interface.Usually, these upstream Interfaces, downstream interface can be disposed by the mode of manual configuration.

According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, wherein, when described first receiving device 103 receives after first of higher level's network equipment broadcasts group polling message arbitrarily, annunciator 101 is responsible for broadcasting the anycast group report information relevant with one or more anycast group that group polling message will accessed one or more main frames arbitrarily to described higher level's network equipment according to described first.Particularly, in the present embodiment, described annunciator 101 also comprises a not shown judgment means, and described judgment means is responsible for judging the relevant information that whether comprises described specific anycast group of being inquired about in the described anycast group relevant information that gets access to; When described generating apparatus 1010 is used for working as the information of being obtained and comprises the relevant information of described specific anycast group of being inquired about, generate the first anycast group report message, wherein comprise anycast group relevant information relevant in the information of being obtained, send by described first dispensing device 1011 again with this specific anycast group.It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, described judgment means can not be described in detail at this by being that keyword is retrieved the relevant information that judges whether to exist this specific anycast group with specific anycast group in accessed anycast group relevant information at least.If the judged result of described judgment means gained negates, promptly, the relevant information that does not comprise the specific anycast group of being inquired about, then described annunciator 101 can not return any message, also can generate a response message that comprises " not comprising this anycast group relevant information " or similar content, and mail to described higher level's network equipment by first dispensing device 1011 by generating apparatus 1010.

Preferably, when judgment means is judged when not comprising the relevant information of the specific anycast group that higher level's network equipment will be inquired about in the anycast group relevant information of obtaining, one or more network nodes that judgment means indicates described deriving means 100 to have jurisdiction over to this access device are inquired about, to obtain the relevant information with described specific anycast group.Promptly, deriving means 100 repeats above-mentioned acquisition process, if the number of times that repeats to inquire about reaches the relevant anycast group relevant information of specific anycast group that the threshold value of default does not obtain the inquiry that requires yet, then annunciator 101 fails to obtain the anycast group relevant information relevant with this anycast group to the report of higher level's network equipment.Requires the relevant anycast group relevant information of specific anycast group of inquiring about, the then corresponding first anycast group report message of generating apparatus 1010 generations if in the threshold value of the inquiry times of default, obtain institute.

Further, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that described judgment means is at received first the broadcasting the difference of the content that group polling message inquires about arbitrarily and finish different operations of first receiving device 103.

In a common variation example, the described first receiving device 103 received anycast group query messages from the network equipment of managing anycast group are inquired about all anycast group relevant informations of All hosts, for example, this anycast group query messages is sent to a multicast address (for example multicast address FF02::1. among the IPv6) with General Query message.At this moment, then described judgment means can be omitted, and described annunciator 101 directly returns all its accessed anycast group relevant informations to described higher level's network equipment, is not described in detail at this.

For annunciator 101, those skilled in the art as can be known, the sign that higher level's network equipment only need be known certain anycast group (for example, can be the address of anycast group) and higher level equipment lead to the outbound port of access device, can finish a certain access device of being routed to of packet, specifically determine again by access device which concrete main frame the IP bag is delivered to, and the concrete main frame member who does not need to know in the anycast group and added.So, in the message of access device report, the sign of a need report anycast group (for example necessarily, can be the address of anycast group), and do not need to report corresponding information about firms (a part of information of corresponding member alternatively, tactful corresponding with the upper management network equipment is for broadcasting routing function should be routed to the IP bag of going to this anycast group this anycast group according to set policy selection which member arbitrarily.Arrived the access device place at the IP bag, can use when transmitting again, and not need to report to higher level equipment) by access device.

The situation that triggers report is specific as follows:

Below briefly deriving means 100 is described again.Wherein, described second dispensing device 1000 is used for sending the second anycast group query messages to one or more main frames, main frame correspondingly returns and the corresponding report message of described inquiry after receiving described query messages, correspondingly, described second receiving system 1001 is used to receive the report information at described anycast group query messages.

In the present embodiment, comprise in the described report information that one or more main frames withdraw from the information of one or more anycast group from main frame, usually, such information (withdrawing from the request message of anycast group) is initiatively sent when determining to withdraw from anycast group by main frame, no matter and whether receive the query messages that sends from described second dispensing device 1000, such embodiment is more suitable for practical application, because after main frame is determined to withdraw from one or more anycast group, should the network equipment (for example router) that request message sends to the management anycast group will be withdrawed from as soon as possible, thereby make this network equipment can upgrade anycast group information in time, finally make the corresponding stream of multicast data arbitrarily not send to the main frame that withdraws from this anycast group.

With reference to figure 9, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in different variation examples above-mentioned second dispensing device 1000 can be accomplished in several ways.For example, change in the example at one, described second dispensing device 1000 comprises first inquiry unit (not shown among Fig. 9), this device is used for sending to described one or more main frames the message of the relevant information of the specific anycast group of inquiry, at this moment, correspondingly, each main frame will return the response message relevant with specific anycast group respectively, if this main frame and these specific anycast group are irrelevant, then may not return any response message.Change in the example at another, described second dispensing device 1000 comprises second inquiry unit (not shown among Fig. 9), this device is used for sending to described one or more main frames at predetermined instant the message of the relevant information of the specific anycast group of inquiry, in such variation example, stress to control and send the time of broadcasting query messages arbitrarily to main frame, rather than all send similar query messages whenever and wherever possible, for example sent one query message every 30 seconds.Change in the example at another, described second dispensing device 1000 comprises the 3rd inquiry device (not shown among Fig. 9), this device is used for sending the anycast group query messages to particular host, at this moment, have only particular host can receive that just similar query messages also correspondingly returns the anycast group relevant information of these main frames.All in all, change in the example at above-mentioned these, arbitrarily the broadcast information relevant with main frame all just obtains after sending query messages to main frame, and promptly main frame is passively to being used for assisting the control device of management to send the anycast group relevant information of this main frame to anycast group.And in some cases, described main frame directly sends the anycast group relevant information of this main frame, no matter and whether receive the query messages of control device that is used for anycast group is assisted management from described, second receiving system 1001 for example shown in Figure 9 is exactly to be used for receiving these by the report message that main frame initiatively sends, and does not repeat them here.

Described establishment updating device (not shown) also comprises collating unit, the 3rd receiving system and delete device.

After receiving above-mentioned report message, correspondingly, described collating unit merges arrangement to the described report information that receives, generate one or more anycast group record, with the anycast group information relevant with one or more anycast group as described one or more main frames, in the present embodiment, the anycast group identification information (for example address information of anycast group) in the anycast group information after these arrangements will be reported to described higher level's network equipment, for example edge router.The workload that the network equipment that described collating unit makes above-mentioned edge router or other be used to manage anycast group is used to manage anycast group (for example inquiring about/obtain anycast group information) reduces widely.Particularly, described the 3rd receiving system be used to receive from main frame with broadcast relevant report information arbitrarily, correspondingly, described delete device is used for the deletion of anycast group record and the relevant information of described one or more main frames from described one or more anycast group correspondences, for example the one or more main frames that receive according to described the 3rd receiving system information that withdraws from one or more anycast group is finished deletion action, is about to the information deletion relevant with this main frame in the anycast group information.

Further, described collating unit also comprises the merging device, and this merging device is used for the information relevant with same anycast group that the described one or more report informations that receive are included and merges into an anycast group record.Particularly, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that in the present embodiment that the report information that receives from each main frame may be such: for example, received arbitrarily the broadcast information relevant, comprising anycast group 1, anycast group 2 with it from main frame 12; Received the information of broadcasting arbitrarily that main frame 13 is correlated with from main frame 13, comprising anycast group 1, anycast group 3, received arbitrarily the broadcast information relevant from main frame 14 with it, comprising anycast group 2,4, at this moment, can be an anycast group record with anycast group 1 relevant host information arrangement, similarly, thus the arrangement of host informations that can anycast group 2 is relevant be an anycast group record to be convenient to anycast group is managed.Particularly, in one embodiment, described anycast group record (list item) can adopt form as shown in table 2 below:

Table 2

Wherein, the descriptor of the first behavior group record in the last table 2, second row, the third line are the anycast group record of anycast group 1, fourth line, fifth line are the anycast group record of anycast group 2.More specifically, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that at Fig. 1 to embodiment shown in Figure 9 that described anycast group record can comprise: anycast group address, anycast group member tabulate and broadcast interface list information arbitrarily.And change in the example at one, described anycast group record can also comprise the service quality of the reliability/network node of the simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of main frame and/or the current number that has connected of main frame maximum response time/main frame/network node bandwidth/main frame except above-mentioned information.

Correspondingly, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that in the above-described embodiments that described first control device 10 can also comprise a database (not shown among Fig. 9), this database is used to store above-mentioned anycast group record and other relevant informations.The common practise that this all belongs to those skilled in the art does not repeat them here.

With reference to figure 9, preferably, the present invention can be applied in the IP network with simple tree topology, in such IP network, be used for transmitting the network equipment of anycast group data and the network equipment at above-mentioned first control device 10 places is present in same network node, because 2 pairing information stores of interface that first control device 10 will be used for transmitting are in a table, this epi-position is in this equipment, and the network equipment of transmitting the anycast group bag need be searched this table when transmitting.Have only to be placed in the same physical entity 2, can realize above-mentioned functions.That is, such structure helps the realization of control method provided by the invention and control device.The common practise that this belongs to those skilled in the art does not repeat them here.

In one embodiment of the invention, also provide a kind of network equipment that is used for anycast group is assisted management, this network equipment comprises the described first control device 10 of above-mentioned Fig. 9.Particularly, in one embodiment, the described network equipment can be an access device shown in Figure 1, and for example DSLAM comprises in this access device that promptly described first control device 10 is used in the IP network at this access device place anycast group being assisted management.Change in the example at one, the described network equipment can be a switch shown in Figure 3, for example the link layer switch of Ethernet switch or other types.Change in the example at another, the described network equipment can also be a router, preferably near the router of main frame rather than relatively near the router of backbone network, these routers obtain the relevant anycast group information of main frame by the control device 10 that is placed in one, and report the anycast group information relevant with one or more anycast group of one or more main frames that it is accessed then to higher level's routing device.As seen, after in a router, being provided with described first control device 10, then this router is different with router of the prior art in the process of management anycast group, and it does not repeat them here according to the auxiliary management work of the present invention's realization to anycast group.

More than embodiments of the invention are described, but the present invention is not limited to specific system, equipment and concrete agreement, those skilled in that art can make various distortion or modification within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. a method of anycast group being carried out assist control in the network equipment of communication network is characterized in that, may further comprise the steps:

A. obtain the relevant information of one or more anycast group that one or more network node added that this network equipment has jurisdiction over;

C. utilize the relevant information of described anycast group to control other network equipment and the network node that adds in described one or more anycast group is communicated by letter.

2. method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, and is further comprising the steps of after described step a:

B '. the relevant information of described anycast group is reported to the upper management network equipment.

3. method according to claim 2 is characterized in that, and is further comprising the steps of before at described step b ':

A '. receive and broadcast group polling message arbitrarily from first of the described upper management network equipment;

Described step b ' also comprises:

I. according to broadcasting group polling message arbitrarily, generate the first anycast group report message, wherein comprise the relevant information that this upper management network equipment is asked the anycast group of inquiring about from described first of this upper management network equipment;

The described first anycast group report message that ii. will generate is sent to this upper management network equipment.

4. according to each described method in the claim 1 to 3, it is characterized in that described step a may further comprise the steps:

A1. the undernet node to present networks equipment sends the second anycast group query messages;

A2. receive the second anycast group report message from described undernet node, the described second anycast group report message is used to report the relevant information of present networks one or more anycast group that one or more network node added that equipment is had jurisdiction over.

5. method according to claim 3 is characterized in that, described first broadcasts the relevant information that group polling message is used for inquiring about one or more specific anycast group of described one or more anycast group arbitrarily;

Described step I also comprises:

-according to the second anycast group query messages of relevant information that is used to inquire about described one or more specific anycast group from the described upper management network equipment, generate the first anycast group report message, wherein comprise the relevant information that this upper management network equipment is asked described one or more specific anycast group of inquiring about.

6. according to each described method in the claim 1 to 5, it is characterized in that the relevant information of described anycast group comprises the sign of each anycast group and the user-side port of present networks equipment.

7. according to each described method in the claim 1 to 6, it is characterized in that the relevant information of described anycast group comprises the sign of each anycast group and adds the network node relevant information of this anycast group.

8. method according to claim 7 is characterized in that, described step c is further comprising the steps of:

-the sign of utilizing described each anycast group and the network node relevant information that adds this anycast group controls other network equipments and this network node communicates.

9. method according to claim 7 is characterized in that, and is further comprising the steps of after described step a, before the step c:

B. the network node relevant information of utilizing the sign of described each anycast group and adding this anycast group is created or is upgraded each anycast group and add mapping relations between the network node of this anycast group;

Described step c is further comprising the steps of:

-utilize described mapping relations to control described other network equipment and the network node that adds in described one or more anycast group is communicated by letter.

10. method according to claim 9 is characterized in that, described c may further comprise the steps:

-utilize the network node relevant information of described each anycast group of adding to control other network equipment to communicate with the network node that adds in this anycast group.

11. according to each described method in the claim 7 to 10, it is characterized in that, comprise in the relevant information of described anycast group being used to indicate one or more network nodes to withdraw from the indication information that withdraws from of one or more anycast group, wherein, described step b is further comprising the steps of:

This withdraws from the indicated one or more related information of network node of indication information to withdraw from indicated one or more anycast group of indication information and the mapping relations between the network node deletion from this.

12., it is characterized in that described network node relevant information comprises corresponding to the port on the present networks equipment of network node according to each described method in the claim 7 to 11, also comprise each in the following or appoint multinomial:

The simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of-network node;

The current number that has connected of-network node;

-network node maximum response time;

-network node bandwidth;

The reliability of-network node;

The service quality of-network node.

13. a first control device that anycast group is carried out assist control in the network equipment of communication network wherein, comprising:

Deriving means is used to obtain the relevant information of one or more anycast group that one or more network node added that this network equipment has jurisdiction over;

Second control device is used for utilizing the relevant information of described anycast group to control other network equipment and communicates by letter with the network node that adds described one or more anycast group.

14. first control device according to claim 13 is characterized in that, also comprises:

Annunciator is used for the relevant information of described anycast group is reported to the upper management network equipment.

15. first control device according to claim 14 is characterized in that, also comprises:

First receiving device is used to receive from first of the described upper management network equipment and broadcasts group polling message arbitrarily;

Described annunciator also comprises:

Generating apparatus is used for generating the first anycast group report message according to broadcasting group polling message arbitrarily from described first of this upper management network equipment, wherein comprises the relevant information that this upper management network equipment is asked the anycast group of inquiring about;

First dispensing device is sent to this upper management network equipment with the described first anycast group report message that generates.

16., it is characterized in that described deriving means also comprises according to each described first control device in the claim 13 to 15:

Second dispensing device is used for sending the second anycast group query messages to the undernet equipment of present networks equipment;

Second receiving system, be used to receive the second anycast group report message from described undernet equipment, the described second anycast group report message is used to report the relevant information of present networks one or more anycast group that one or more network node added that equipment is had jurisdiction over.

17. first control device according to claim 15 is characterized in that, described first broadcasts the relevant information that group polling message is used for inquiring about one or more specific anycast group of described one or more anycast group arbitrarily;

Described generating apparatus also is used for, according to the second anycast group query messages of relevant information that is used to inquire about described one or more specific anycast group from the described upper management network equipment, generate the first anycast group report message, wherein comprise the relevant information that this upper management network equipment is asked described one or more specific anycast group of inquiring about.

18., it is characterized in that the relevant information of described anycast group comprises the sign and the user-side port of each anycast group according to each described first control device in the claim 13 to 17.

19., it is characterized in that the relevant information of described anycast group comprises the sign of each anycast group and adds the network node relevant information of this anycast group according to each described first control device in the claim 13 to 18.

20. first control device according to claim 19, it is characterized in that, described second control device also is used for, and the sign of utilizing described each anycast group controls other network equipments with the network node relevant information that adds this anycast group and this network node communicates.

21. first control device according to claim 19 is characterized in that, also comprises:

Create updating device, the network node relevant information that is used to utilize the sign of described each anycast group and add this anycast group is created or is upgraded mapping relations between the network node of each anycast group and this anycast group of adding;

Described second control device also is used for, and utilizes the mapping relations of described establishment or renewal to control described other network equipment and the network node that adds in described one or more anycast group is communicated by letter.

22. first control device according to claim 21, it is characterized in that, described second control device also is used for, and utilizes the network node relevant information of described each anycast group of adding to control other network equipment and communicates with the network node that adds in this anycast group.

23. according to each described first control device in the claim 19 to 22, it is characterized in that, comprise in the described anycast group information and be used to indicate one or more network nodes to withdraw from the indication information that withdraws from of one or more anycast group, wherein, described establishment or updating device also are used for, and this withdraws from the indicated one or more related information of network node of indication information to withdraw from indicated one or more anycast group of indication information and the mapping relations between the network node deletion from this.

24., it is characterized in that described network node relevant information comprises corresponding to the port on the present networks equipment of network node according to each described first control device in the claim 19 to 23, also comprise each in the following or appoint multinomial:

The simultaneously supported maximum number that connects of-network node;

The current number that has connected of-network node;

-network node maximum response time;

-network node bandwidth;

The reliability of-network node;

The service quality of-network node.

25. the network equipment in the communication network is characterized in that, comprises according to each described device that is used for anycast group is carried out assist control in the claim 13 to 24.

26. the network equipment according to claim 25 wherein, comprising: DSLAM or switch.

27. the network equipment according to claim 25 wherein, comprises routing device, it is used for reporting to higher level's routing device the anycast group information relevant with one or more anycast group of one or more network nodes that it is accessed.