JP2000253051A - Communication method between plural computers, and system executing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce influence to be given to a system, to change specifications, to improve performance and to facilitate analysis and restoration when a fault occurs by respectively connecting plural computers to a hub in a spoke structure and connecting hubs directly to a mesh structure. SOLUTION: When a message is transmitted from a computer 311 to a computer 313, the computer 311 designates the computer 313 in a message destination and sends the message to a hub 301. In this case, the computer 311 does not have to consider at all which hub the computer 313 is connected to. The hub 301 receiving a message from the computer 311 reads that the message destination is the computer 313. The hub 301 decides whether the computer 313 is connected to the hub 301 itself by retrieving destination information. Because the computer 313 is connected directly to the hub 301, the message to the computer 311 is transferred.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication method between a plurality of computers and a system implementing the method. The communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention and the system for implementing the method can prevent a complicated hierarchical structure by using a spoked communication system combining a spoke structure and a mesh structure, and can provide flexibility between connected systems. And overall flexibility can be achieved.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 5, a communication method in which a plurality of computers are connected to exchange information between arbitrary computers is directly connected to a computer that exchanges information. There is a communication system of mesh type connection. The mesh type communication system shown in FIG.
20, 130, 140, 150, and 160 are directly connected to each other by a communication line LN to enable communication between arbitrary computers.

[0003] In such a mesh-type connection communication system, since the computers that perform communication are directly connected to each other, they have characteristics that communication performance is good, and analysis and restoration when a failure occurs is easy. It is a good system as long as the number of computers constituting the communication system is small. However, there is a problem that the number of connections of the communication line LN explosively increases as the number of computers constituting the communication system increases.
When the number of connections of the communication line LN increases explosively, it becomes difficult to grasp the effect of a part of system change on the entire system, and it becomes very difficult to flexibly change system specifications.

As a solution to the above problem, a spoke-type connection system for connecting a plurality of computers via a hub as shown in FIG. 6 is currently used for communication between the plurality of computers. The spoke type connection system for connecting a plurality of computers using the hub shown in FIG.
0, 230, 240, 250, and 260 are connected to the hub 200 via communication lines L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, and L6, respectively, and a connection function using destination information of the hub 200 is used to connect any computer. This is a system that allows communication between the two.

[0005] A spoke type connection system in which a plurality of computers are connected using such a hub has a problem in that even if the number of computers constituting a communication system increases, the number of computers increased by the communication line is transferred to the hub 2.
Since the system can be changed simply by connecting to 00, the effect on the system when the number of computers increases is small, and the system specifications can be changed flexibly. Used as a system. However, even in a communication system in which a plurality of computers are connected using a hub as shown in FIG. 6, the range of use of the system is widened, and the number of computers connected to the system reduces the capacity of one hub. Beyond that, it becomes necessary to provide a plurality of hubs.

For example, in a case where the system is used globally, it is necessary to provide hubs for each region such as the United States, Europe, and Japan. In a communication system in which a plurality of computers are connected using a hub, when the number of hubs increases, an intermediate hub is further provided between the hubs as shown in FIG.
It is common to extend the system. FIG. 7 shows a system in which a plurality of hubs are connected in a spoke type. In the system of FIG.
526 are connected to a plurality of hubs 51
Intermediate hub 501 for connecting 1,512,513
Is provided to expand the system.

In the system shown in FIG. 7, a different hub 51 is connected to a computer 521 connected to the hub 511.
When the message is sent to the computer 524 connected to the hub 511, the message is sent to the hub 511, the hub 501,
It is transmitted via three hubs of hub 512. For this reason, in a spoke type communication system that connects a plurality of computers using a hub, the range of use of the system becomes wide, and the number of computers connected to the system exceeds the capacity of one hub The problem is that the hierarchy of hubs and hubs further increases, and the impact on performance and the difficulty of analysis and restoration in the event of a failure increase.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication system in which a plurality of computers are connected by using a hub. It is an object of the present invention to realize a system that can change the parameters, has good performance, and can easily analyze and restore when a failure occurs.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention connects a plurality of computers to n (n> 1) hubs respectively in a spoke structure, and directly connects the n hubs. By connecting to a mesh structure, information transmitted and received between computers is passed, and a communication method between a plurality of computers configured such that the hub does not have a hierarchical structure and a system implementing the method are realized. . According to the present invention, the computers connected to each hub can transmit messages and data without considering this structure, and even if a new hub or computer is added, the system can be used. It is possible to realize a system with good performance that has no influence and that is easy to analyze and recover from a failure.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a system which implements a communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 311, 312, 313,.
.. 322 are independent computers.
Reference numerals 301, 302, 304, and 305 denote hubs for connecting computers. L311, L312, L3
Reference numerals L321 and L322 denote signal lines for connecting between the computer and the hub. L12,
L14, L15, L24, L25, and L45 are signal lines that connect between the hubs.

The hub 301 has computers 311 and 3
12, 313 are signal lines L311, L312, L31
3 are connected in a spoke type. The hub 301 has computers 311, 312, 313,.
Of the computer 311,
The connection of 312 and 313 is controlled. Also, the hub 302
, Computers 314, 315 and 316 are connected in a spoke type by signal lines L314, L315 and L316. The hub 302 has computers 311,
., 322, and controls connection of the computers 314, 315, 316. Similarly, computers 317, 318,... 322 are connected to the hub 304 and the hub 305 in a spoke type by signal lines L317, L318,. The hubs 304 and 305 hold destination information of computers connected to the hubs, and control connection of the computers.

The hubs 301, 302, 304, and 305 are connected to signal lines L12, L14, L15, and L2.
4, L25 and L45 are connected to each other in a mesh form. The operation of the system implementing the communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention configured as described above will be described below. The system of the embodiment of FIG. 1 has a plurality of hubs such as hubs 301, 302, 303 and 304, and each hub has a plurality of computers 311.
To 322 are connected. Therefore, the relationship between the computer and the hub in the system of the embodiment of FIG. 1 is a spoke type connection, and the relationship between the hubs is a mesh type connection.

For this reason, in the system of the embodiment of FIG. 1, since each computer 311 to 322 always has only one connection to one hub, each computer has a new hub or an optional new computer. Even when newly connected to the hub, the configuration is such that it is not affected at all by the connection function of the hub. FIG.
Shows destination information possessed by each hub of the system that implements the communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, App311, A in the left column thereof
pp 312, App 313... are logical destination information of each computer, and JPAPP. LQ. 001, JP
APP. LQ. 002, JPAPP. LQ. 003 ...
Indicates physical destination information, and Hub301 and Hub30 in the right column.
2, Hub 303... Indicate connection hub information.
The logical destination information, the physical destination information, and the connection hub information constitute a set to constitute the destination information of each computer, and the destination information of all the computers connected to the communication system is registered. The destination information of FIG. 2 is held in the information holding means of all hubs of the communication system of FIG.
When a new computer is newly connected to any hub, its destination information is newly added.

Next, the message transmission mechanism of the system that implements the communication method between a plurality of computers of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, as an example between computers connected to the same hub, an example in which a message is transmitted from the computer 311 to the computer 313 in FIG. 1 will be described. 1. The computer 311 specifies the computer 313 as the destination of the message and sends the message to the hub 301. At this time, the computer 311 does not need to consider at all which hub the computer 313 is connected to. 2. In step 401, the hub 301 that has received the message from the computer 311, In step 402, it is read that the destination of the message is the computer 313. 4. Next, in step 403, the hub 301 searches the destination information to determine whether the computer 313 is a computer connected to itself. 5. In step 404, the computer 313 passes the computer 311 message to the computer 313 because it is directly connected to the hub 301.

Next, as an example of transmitting a message between computers connected to different hubs, an example of transmitting a message from the computer 311 to the computer 316 in FIG. 1 will be described. The computer 311 sends the message to the computer 31
6 is designated and sent to the hub 301. At this time, the computer 311 does not need to consider at all what hub the computer 316 is connected to. 1. In step 401, the hub 301 that has received the message from the computer 311 performs: In step 402, it is read that the destination of the message is the computer 316. 3. Next, in step 403, the hub 301 determines whether the computer 316 is a computer directly connected to itself by searching for destination information. 4. In step 405, since the computer 316 is not the computer directly connected to itself but the computer connected to the hub 302, the hub 301 passes the message of the computer 311 to the hub 302 as it is. 5. In step 406, the hub 302 receives the message of the computer 311 and reads that the destination of the message is the computer 316. 6. In step 407, the hub 302 is a computer to which the computer 316 is directly connected, and
Pass 11 messages. In this way, information is exchanged between any computers connected to the system of FIG.

Next, the hierarchy of the hub and the message path will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a simplified system for explaining the hierarchical relationship of the system implementing the communication method between a plurality of computers of the present invention of FIG. In FIG. 4, reference numerals 611, 612, and 613 denote hubs to which computers 621 to 624 are connected, respectively, and the hubs and the computers are connected in a spoke-type relationship. Also, each hub 611, 6
A mesh-type connection is made between 12,613. To this end, in the system of FIG. 4, the computer 621 connected to the different hub
When a message is sent to 24, the message arrives via two hubs 611 and 612. In the system of FIG. 4, the connection between hubs is a non-hierarchical type of mesh type connection that directly connects the hubs to each other, so that the number of hubs to be passed is always two, and the hierarchical type as shown in FIG. The number of hubs through which messages pass is smaller than in the system of the first embodiment.

Therefore, in a system that implements the communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention, the structure is complicated even in an environment where a plurality of computers exist and a plurality of hubs connecting the computers exist. It is possible to build a flexible system environment by enabling coordination.
Further, when a message or data is transmitted from a certain computer to a certain computer, the number of hubs through which the message or data is transmitted can be minimized, so that a decrease in performance can be prevented. Further, by minimizing the number of hubs through which certain messages and data pass, it is easy to deal with failures and take measures for restoration.

[0018]

As is apparent from the above description, the communication method between a plurality of computers and the system implementing the method according to the present invention comprise n computers (n> 1).
Multiple computers with hubs that do not have a hierarchical structure, through which information exchanged between computers passes by connecting the hubs of each of the spoke structures to each other and connecting the n hubs directly to the mesh structure Communication method between the two. For this reason, in the system embodying the present invention, the computers connected to each hub can transmit messages and data without considering the structure of the system. Also, even if a new hub or computer is added, the system is not affected at all.

For this reason, in the system embodying the present invention, the following unique effects which cannot be obtained in the conventional system can be obtained. The first effect of the present invention is that even in an environment where many computers exist and there are a plurality of hubs connecting them, cooperation is possible without complicating the structure, and a flexible system environment is constructed. I can do it. A second advantage of the present invention is that when messages and data are transmitted from one computer to another computer,
It is possible to prevent performance degradation by minimizing the number of hubs passing through. Also, by minimizing the number of hubs through which certain messages and data pass, it is easy to deal with and recover from a failure.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a system that implements a communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows destination information possessed by each hub of a system implementing a communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a mechanism of message transmission in a system that implements a communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a message transmission hierarchy and a message path in a system that implements a communication method between a plurality of computers according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a mesh-type communication system in which a plurality of computers are directly connected to each other;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a communication system of a spoke type connection system in which communication between a plurality of computers is connected via a hub.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a communication system of a system for expanding the system by further providing an intermediate hub in a connection between hubs.

[Explanation of symbols]

110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160 ...
· Computer, LN ··· Communication line, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260
-Computer, L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6-Communication line, Hub 200-Hub, 521, 522, 523-526-Computer, 511, 512, 513-Hub, Hub 501 ... intermediate hub, 311, 312, 313 to 322 ... independent computer, 301, 302, 304, 305 ... hub for connecting computers, L311, L312, L313 to L321, L322
..Signal lines connecting between the computer and the hub, L12, L14, L15, L24, L25, L45
.Signal lines connecting between hubs,

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Koji Hara F-term (reference) 5K030 GA11 HA08 HC14 HD03 JT06 9A001 BB01 CC07 FF03 JJ05 6-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A hub through which information transmitted and received between computers is directly connected to a mesh structure between n (n> 1) hubs each having a plurality of computers connected to a spoke structure. A communication method between a plurality of computers, wherein the computer does not have a hierarchical structure. 2. A method in which a plurality of computers are directly connected to a mesh structure between n hubs (n> 1) each connected to a spoke structure, and the n hubs have destination information of each hub. This allows each hub to send the information of the computer connected to its own hub directly to the other hub when the computer connected to its own hub communicates with the computer connected to the other hub. A method of communicating between a plurality of computers, wherein a hub through which information transmitted and received between the computers passes has no hierarchical structure. 3. A plurality of computers each comprising n hub sysdems connected in a spoke structure, and information communication lines connecting hubs of the n hub sysdems directly to each other in a mesh structure, and transmitted and received between the computers. A communication system between a plurality of computers, wherein the hub through which the information passes does not have a hierarchical structure. 4. An n hub sysdem in which a plurality of computers are respectively connected to a spoke structure, an information communication line for directly connecting the n hub sysdem hubs to each other in a mesh structure, and the n hub sysdem hubs. Each hub is connected to the destination information holding means of the computer, and each hub connects directly to the other hub when the computer connected to the own hub communicates with the computer connected to the other hub. A communication system between a plurality of computers, wherein information of connected computers is transmitted, and a hub through which information transmitted and received between the computers does not have a hierarchical structure.