JP2002290430A - Distributed platform module, gateway, network system using gateway and construction method of network system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain the performance degradation of a distributed system even if the speed of a line coupling between distributed platform modules for linking applications is low. SOLUTION: CORBA gateways 4-1 and 4-2 which are provided for the mutual sending/receiving of messages between CORBA modules 3-1 and 3-2 linking programs 2-1 to 2-6, corresponding to the CORBA modules 3-1 and 3-2, have a modification means which modifies a part of the first protocol defined in the case of communicating of the CORBA modules 3-1 and 3-2 to prepare messages of smaller redundancy than the first protocol, and a restoration means for performing processing inverse to the processing of the modification means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a distributed platform module, a gateway, a network system using a gateway, and a method of constructing a network system used in a distributed processing system configured using a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an infrastructure for developing a distributed system, CORBA (Co.
A standard called mmon Object Request Broker Architecture) has been compiled. The CORBA module that realizes the CORBA standard functions as, for example, a distributed platform module for performing a process in which a plurality of applications on a server or an application on another server are combined.

[0003] By using CORBA, a distributed processing system can be easily constructed regardless of the OS or language. Further, a product that operates not only on a workstation but also on a personal computer using CORBA is provided, and all servers and clients in the system can be constructed using the same CORBA product.

Further, in order to allow applications and data on different CORBA modules to be used in exactly the same way as those on the same CORBA module, IIOP (Internet Inter-ORB Protocol) is used as a communication protocol between the CORBA modules. ) Is standardized.

FIG. 7 shows a CORBA module 101A of a domain 100A constructed by a CORBA product A.
And domain 100 constructed by CORBA product B
A system in which the CORBA module 101B of B communicates with IIOP is shown.

The program 201- of the domain 100A
a, 202-a and 203-a are CORBA modules 1
01A, the programs 201-a, 202-a, and 203-a can cooperate to perform distributed processing. Similarly, domain 100
The programs 201-b, 202-b, and 203-b of B can be mutually linked by the CORBA module 101B.
b, 203-b can cooperate to perform distributed processing.

[0007] Further, CORBA modules 101A and C
Since it is possible to communicate with the ORBA module 101B by IIOP, the program 20
1-a, 202-a, 203-a and program 201
-B, 202-b and 203-b can cooperate to perform distributed processing.

[0008]

However, IIO
P is determined with an emphasis on ensuring the versatility of communication between different CORBA modules, so that the contents of data contained in one packet are extremely large, and packets having a large amount of data as a whole are transmitted and received. Will be.

For this reason, if communication is performed between different CORBA modules via a low-speed LAN line (LAN line 300 in FIG. 7), much time is required for communication, and the performance of the distributed processing system may be degraded. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the current situation of a distributed system constructed using CORBA as described above.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gateway capable of suppressing a decrease in performance of a distributed system even when a line connecting CORBA modules, which is a distributed platform for linking different applications, is slow. The present invention also provides a network system using the gateway and a method for constructing the network system. Further, a distributed platform module is provided.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the first and second distributed platform modules are provided so that the first and second distributed platform modules for cooperating with each other can send and receive messages to and from each other. Gateways provided corresponding to each other, wherein a part of a first protocol defined when the distributed platform module performs communication is changed to create a message having less redundancy than the first protocol. And a restoring unit for performing a process reverse to the process by the changing unit, and a message received from the correspondingly provided distributed platform module is opposed by the changing unit with reduced redundancy. Transmitting the message to the gateway and receiving the message received from the opposite gateway. And restored by, and transmits the distributed platform module provided with the correspondence.

A gateway according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that rule information of a process for reducing redundancy by the changing means is exchanged with the opposite gateway when necessary.

A distributed platform module according to a third aspect of the present invention corresponds to each of the first and second distributed platform modules so that the first and second distributed platform modules for linking applications mutually send and receive messages. Changing means for changing a part of a first protocol defined when the distributed platform module performs communication to create a message having less redundancy than the first protocol. A restoring unit for performing a process reverse to the process by the changing unit, and transmitting a message received from the correspondingly provided distributed platform module to the opposite gateway with a reduced redundancy by the changing unit. The message received from the opposite gateway And a distributed platform module for performing communication between the application and a gateway for transmitting to the distributed platform module provided correspondingly, wherein the conversion unit changes the communication between the gateway and the gateway. Message transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving a message according to the protocol after the transmission, and the same API as the first and second distributed platform modules.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the first and second distributed platform modules for cooperating with each other transmit and receive messages to and from each other in correspondence with each of the first and second distributed platform modules. Changing means for changing a part of a first protocol defined when the distributed platform module performs communication to create a message having less redundancy than the first protocol, wherein the gateway is provided; And a restoring unit that performs a process reverse to the process by the changing unit, and transmits a message received from the correspondingly provided distributed platform module to the opposite gateway with reduced redundancy by the changing unit. The message received from the opposite gateway is returned by the restoration means. And based on using the gateway to be transmitted to the correspondingly distributed platform module provided, characterized by being constituted by combining a small line of channel capacity in LAN.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network construction method, wherein the first and second distributed platform modules for cooperating with each other transmit and receive a message to and from each other. A gateway provided correspondingly, wherein a part of a first protocol defined when the distributed platform module communicates is changed to create a message having less redundancy than the first protocol. And a restoring means for performing a process reverse to the process by the changing device, wherein the message received from the correspondingly provided distributed platform module is reduced to the redundancy by the changing device to the facing gateway. Transmitting and receiving a message received from the opposite gateway In the case where a gateway for restoring and transmitting to the correspondingly provided distributed platform module is used for coupling a line with a small line capacity in a LAN, and a line with a small line capacity is changed to a line with a large line capacity The first and second distributed platform modules are connected so as to directly communicate with each other.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the accompanying drawings, a distributed platform module, a gateway, a network system using a gateway, and a method of constructing a network system used in a distributed processing system configured using a network according to the present invention will be described below. Will be described. In each drawing, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a distributed platform module, a gateway, and a network system using the gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this network system, CORBA domain 1-
1 to 1-4 are connected by a network. CO
The RBA domains 1-1 to 1-4 are, for example, a system in which some servers are connected by a LAN (local area network), and each server (or client) has a program (application) 2-1 to 2-
12 are held.

In FIG. 1, CORBA domain 1-1
1-4, the distributed platform module CO
Although each one of the RBA modules 3-1 to 3-4 is illustrated, each server (or client) is provided with a CORBA module. For this reason, the programs (applications) 2-1 to 2-12 can perform distributed processing in cooperation with each other by the CORBA modules 3-1 to 3-4.

The LAN line 5-4 between the CORBA domain 1-1 and the CORBA domain 1-4 is a high-speed line, and the CORBA module 3-1 and the CORBA module 3-4 do not degrade the system performance. II
It is possible to communicate by PO. Similarly COR
LAN line 5-2 between BA domain 1-2 and CORBA domain 1-3, CORBA domain 1-3 and COR
The LAN line 5-2 between the BA domains 1-4 is also a high-speed line.

In contrast to the above, CORBA domain 1-1
The LAN line 5-1 between the server and the CORBA domain 1-2 is a low-speed line. Therefore, CORBA domain 1-1
, A CORBA gateway 4-1 is provided in the CORBA domain 1-2, and a CORBA gateway 4-2 is provided in the CORBA domain 1-2.
The CORBA module 3-1 and the CORBA module 3-2 communicate with each other via the CORBA gateway 4-1 and the CORBA gateway 4-2.

CORBA Gateway 4-1 and CORB
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the A gateway 4-2. They are,
The apparatus includes a change unit 11, a restoration unit 12, a rule storage unit 13, and a rule exchange unit 14. The changing means 11 is a CORBA module 3 which is a distributed platform module.
1 (3-2) changes a part of the protocol IIOP specified when performing communication, and creates a message with less redundancy than this protocol IIOP (conversion from IIOP to high-speed protocol). The restoring means 12 is the changing means 1
1 performs a process opposite to the process (1) (conversion from high-speed protocol to IIOP).

The rule storage unit 13 stores rule information for performing a process related to a partial change of the protocol IIOP performed by the changing unit 11 and the restoring unit 12 and a reverse process. The rule exchange means 14 exchanges rule information to be stored in the rule storage means 13 with an opposite CORBA gateway and stores the exchanged rule information.

When necessary, the rule exchange means 14 receives an input from a system operator or the like as indicated by a broken line, and exchanges rule information with an opposite CORBA gateway (internal rule exchange means 14). . The rule information is also input from a system operator or the like as indicated by a broken line.

Next, the above rule information will be described. IIOP defined for communication between different CORBAs
Then, TCP / I is used as a lower network protocol.
Adopting P, CDR (Common D
ata Representation), IOR (Interoperable Object Reference) as object representation, IOR as message communication protocol
It adopts a version of GIOP (General Inter-ORB Protocol) that performs communication based on the IIOP profile of GIOP.

However, since the IIOP profile of the IOR is determined with an emphasis on ensuring the versatility of communication between different CORBA modules, one packet contains an extremely large amount of data and is redundant. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, a version number, a host name,..., An object identification key, and a component group follow. All of this information is transmitted every time.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, information fixed in the system, for example, version numbers and the like are exchanged once at the time of exchange by the rule exchange means 14, and thereafter omitted unless there is a change or the like. . However, the information fixed in the system, for example, the version number and the like is stored in the rule storage means 14, so that the processing by the change means 11 (conversion from IIOP to high-speed protocol)
In the processing by the restoration means 12 (conversion from high-speed protocol to IIOP), CORBA is deleted.
Sent to module 3-1 (3-2).

In this embodiment, information having a high degree of redundancy and extremely long information, such as an object identification key, is subjected to code conversion and compressed into short information such as several bits. In this case, the compression / decompression code conversion rule information is stored in the rule storage unit 14. Thereby, the processing by the changing unit 11 (conversion from IIOP to high-speed protocol)
However, the data is compressed by the decompression means 12 (high-speed protocol to IIOP conversion), and CORBA
Sent to module 3-1 (3-2).

In the network system of FIG. 1 configured as described above, the CORBA domain 1-1 and CORB
The LAN line 5-1 between the A domains 1-2 is a low-speed line, but the CORBA gateway 4-1 and the CORBA gateway 4-1.
CORBA module 3- through gateway 4-2
1 and the CORBA module 3-2 communicate with each other,
A message having less redundancy than the IIOP message is transmitted on the LAN line 5-1. The cooperation of the programs between the CORBA domain 1-1 and the CORBA domain 1-2 is performed by performing communication using the IIOP message. As a result, a reduction in the efficiency of the distributed system can be suppressed.

In the network system shown in FIG. 1, even if the LAN line (low-speed line) 5-1 between the CORBA domain 1-1 and the CORBA domain 1-2 is a high-speed (IIOP) communication system, It is assumed that the LAN line 50-1 has been changed to the extent that the efficiency does not decrease. In such a case, as shown in FIG.
The ORBA gateway 4-1 and the CORBA gateway 4-2 are removed, and a connection is made so that the CORBA module 3-1 and the CORBA module 3-2, which are distributed platform modules, perform direct communication by IIOP. As a result, it is possible to cope with an increase in the capacity of the LAN line with almost no modification to the system.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the network system according to the present invention. In this system, a low-speed LAN and CORBA domain 1-5 exists between the CORBA domain 1-1 and the CORBA domain 1-2. This low-speed LAN / CORB
A domain 1-5 contains programs 2-13 to 2-15
-Speed CORB is a distributed platform module
The A modules 3-5 can cooperate with each other, and the programs 2-13 to 2-15 can cooperate to perform distributed processing.

Also, a low-speed LAN / CORBA domain 1
-5 includes CORBA gateway 4-1 and CORB
A CORBA gateway 4-5 that communicates with the A gateway 4-2 is provided.
The CORBA module 3-2 and the low-speed CORBA module 3-5 correspond to the CORBA gateway 4-1, C
Communication is performed via the ORBA gateway 4-2 and the CORBA gateway 4-5.

The CORBA gateway 4-5 has a mechanism for converting the protocol shown in FIG. 2 (conversion from IIOP to high-speed protocol, conversion from high-speed protocol to IIOP) for each port. That is, the message of the high-speed protocol coming from the CORBA gateway 4-1 is once converted into IIOP, and the message is converted to the CORBA gateway 4-2 or the low-speed CORBA module 3-5.
Sent to The same applies to the opposite case, and communication is performed by a high-speed protocol outside the CORBA gateway 4-5.

The low-speed CORBA module 3-5 that communicates with the CORBA gateway 4-5 is configured as shown in FIG. Low speed CORBA module 3-
5 includes a message sending / receiving means 31 and an API (Applicat
ion programming interface) 32. The message sending / receiving means 31 sends / receives a message to / from the CORBA gateway 4-5 according to the protocol (high-speed protocol) changed by the converting means 11 in FIG. That is, the message sending / receiving means 31
Is the same as the mechanism for protocol conversion shown in FIG.

The API 32 is a CORBA module 3
The interface is the same as the API provided in the APIs 1 and 3-2.
(3-14, 3-15) is an interface for cooperation with the low-speed CORBA module 3-5.

With the above configuration, the low-speed LAN / CORBA
In domain 1-5, low-speed CORBA module 3-
5, the programs 3-13 to 3-15 perform distributed processing in cooperation with each other, and the low-speed CORBA module 3-5
The communication is performed by a high-speed protocol via the Internet and distributed processing can be performed in cooperation with other programs.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, a part of the first protocol defined when the distributed platform module performs communication is changed to have less redundancy than the first protocol. Since communication is performed by creating a message, it is possible to suppress the performance degradation of the distributed system even if the speed of the line connecting the CORBA modules, which are the distributed platforms for linking different applications, is low.

Further, since the gateway of the second aspect exchanges rule information for processing for reducing redundancy with the opposing gateway when necessary, the rule for processing for reducing redundancy is changed as necessary. And enable appropriate message exchange.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a distributed platform module, a gateway, and a network system using the gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a CORBA gateway in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a low-speed CORBA module according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows IOR II transmitted and received in the embodiment of the present invention.
The figure which shows the content of OP profile.

FIG. 5 illustrates L in the network system illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system configured by changing the capacity of an AN line.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a distributed platform module, a gateway, and a network system using the gateway according to a second embodiment of the network system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a system in which different CORBA modules communicate by IIOP.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-1 to 1-5 CORBA domain 2-1 to 2-15 Program 3-1 to 3-4 CORBA module 3-5 Low-speed CORBA module 4-1, 4-2, 4-5 CORBA gateway 5-1 5-6, 50-1 LAN line 11 Changing means 12 Restoring means 13 Rule storing means 14 Rule exchanging means 31 Message sending / receiving means 32 API

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Kawagome 1 Toshiba-cho, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo Inside the Toshiba Fuchu Works Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yutaka 1-shi Toshiba-cho, Fuchu-shi Tokyo F term (reference) 5B045 GG01 5B085 AA08 AC01 BA06 BA07 BG07 CA04 CA07 5K033 AA04 AA09 BA04 CB01 CB02 CB08 DB12 DB14 DB16 DB18 EC01 5K034 CC01 DD03 EE10 FF01 FF04 HH04 HH05 HH12 HH16 NN10

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A gateway provided in correspondence with each of said first and second distributed platform modules so that first and second distributed platform modules for linking applications mutually transmit and receive messages. Changing means for changing a part of a first protocol defined when the distributed platform module performs communication to create a message having less redundancy than the first protocol; and processing by the changing means. A restoring means for performing a reverse process, transmitting the message received from the correspondingly provided distributed platform module to the opposite gateway with less redundancy by the changing means, and receiving the message from the opposite gateway. The message is restored by the restoration means, and the A gateway for transmitting to a distributed platform module. 2. The gateway according to claim 1, wherein rule information for a process of reducing redundancy by the change unit is exchanged with the opposing gateway when necessary. 3. A gateway provided in correspondence with each of the first and second distributed platform modules so that the first and second distributed platform modules for linking applications mutually transmit and receive messages. Changing means for changing a part of a first protocol defined when the distributed platform module performs communication to create a message having less redundancy than the first protocol; and processing by the changing means. A restoring means for performing a reverse process, transmitting the message received from the correspondingly provided distributed platform module to the opposite gateway with less redundancy by the changing means, and receiving the message from the opposite gateway. The message is restored by the restoring means, and the A distributed platform module for performing communication between a gateway for transmitting to a distributed platform module and an application, wherein a message transmission / reception for transmitting / receiving a message with the gateway according to a protocol changed by the conversion unit. Means, and the same API as said first and second distributed platform modules. 4. A gateway provided for each of the first and second distributed platform modules so that the first and second distributed platform modules for linking applications mutually transmit and receive messages. Changing means for changing a part of a first protocol defined when the distributed platform module performs communication to create a message having less redundancy than the first protocol; and processing by the changing means. A restoring means for performing a reverse process, transmitting the message received from the correspondingly provided distributed platform module to the opposite gateway with less redundancy by the changing means, and receiving the message from the opposite gateway. The message is restored by the restoring means, and the A network system comprising a gateway for transmitting to a remote platform module, and connecting lines having a small line capacity in a LAN. 5. A gateway provided in correspondence with each of the first and second distributed platform modules so that the first and second distributed platform modules for linking applications mutually transmit and receive messages. Changing means for changing a part of a first protocol defined when the distributed platform module performs communication to create a message having less redundancy than the first protocol; and processing by the changing means. A restoring means for performing a reverse process, transmitting the message received from the correspondingly provided distributed platform module to the opposite gateway with less redundancy by the changing means, and receiving the message from the opposite gateway. The message is restored by the restoring means, and the A gateway for transmitting to the distributed platform module is used when connecting a line with a small line capacity in a LAN, and when changing a line with a small line capacity to a line with a large line capacity, the gateway is removed. A method for constructing a network system, characterized in that a connection is made so that the distributed platform modules of the above communicate directly.