JP2004193966A - Network system, connection configuration information creation method in the same, program, and portable storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network system with which a physical connection relation of nodes can be grasped even if a network comprising a multiplexed part is given and to provide a connection configuration information creation method of the system. <P>SOLUTION: A management node 1 grasps all nodes in the network and attributes of the nodes. The management node 1 receives connection information from the nodes whose attributes are route switches 2. The root switches 2 are divided into a system A and a system B. The physical connection relation of the nodes is requested from the system A and the system B by using connection information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system having a configuration in which devices are connected by a communication network, and more particularly, to generation of information indicating a connection relationship between nodes in a multiplexed communication network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a network system in which a plurality of devices are connected by a communication network, it is necessary to check and understand the connection relationship of the entire network for the purpose of monitoring and controlling the network.
[0003]
FIG. 9 is a configuration example of a system having a general tree-type network connection.
The system in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which a plurality of devices are connected by a network constructed by cascading a plurality of switching hubs (SW-HUBs) 102. It is assumed that the network is constructed by TCP / IP. The entire network system is managed by a management node (GM) 101.
[0004]
In the system having the configuration as shown in FIG. 1, when the connection state of the entire network is checked from the management node 101 using SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), in the conventional case, each device connected to the network is checked. Information indicating other devices connected to the device is collected in the management node 101.
[0005]
For example, when viewed from the management node 101 in the figure, the switching hubs 102-2 and 102-3 and the terminal nodes (ST) 103-1 to 103-4 are provided in the switching hub 102-1, and the switching hubs 102-2 are provided in the switching hub 102-2. As can be seen that the switching hub 102-3 and the terminal nodes 103-1 and 103-2 are connected, pay attention to a certain device and determine what is directly or indirectly connected to the device. You can look up the connection in the form.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
In the above document, connection information is collected in the management node 101 from each of the switching hubs 102-1 to 102-3 on a port-by-port basis, and the connection indicating the connection relationship between the nodes based on the connection information is collected. Configuration information is being generated.
[0007]
However, the connection configuration information indicating such a connection relationship is valid only for a network having a single configuration in which the system configuration is not multiplexed. The physical configuration cannot be grasped. Here, the physical configuration means that a connection port of a network component device is connected to a connection port of any other network component device.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the conventional system, the connection configuration information indicating the connection relationship of the nodes is based on the connection information of each network component device such as a switching hub, based on the connection information of each device. Was limited to showing. If the system has a single configuration network, connection configuration information indicating a physical configuration can be generated based on the connection information of each network device.
[0009]
However, if the network system has a duplicated network, it is determined that one device is connected to a plurality of redundant devices. It was difficult to recognize.
[0010]
In addition, when a partner device connected to each device is indicated, the system has a configuration in which a plurality of relay devices having a bridge function (OSI reference model layer 2: relay function of a data link layer) such as a switching hub are cascaded. In such a case, there is a problem that the same device is indicated as being connected to a plurality of relay devices.
[0011]
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a network system and a connection configuration information generation method that can grasp a connection relationship even when the system has a configuration including a redundant network.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A network system according to the present invention is based on a network system having a network multiplexed into a plurality of systems, and includes a plurality of relay devices and a management node.
[0013]
The relay device relays data exchanged between nodes on the network. This relay device is, for example, a switching hub, and internally has connection information indicating a node connected to each port of the relay device. This connection information is based on, for example, MIB.
[0014]
The management node receives the connection information from the relay device, and after examining to which system of the multiplexed network the relay device on the network belongs based on the connection information, determines a physical connection of the node. Ask for a relationship.
[0015]
The present invention also includes, as a scope thereof, a connection configuration information generation method for obtaining connection configuration information indicating physical connection relations of nodes in a system having a network multiplexed into a plurality of systems.
[0016]
This connection configuration information generation method searches for all nodes on the network, obtains attributes of the nodes, and, from a node whose attribute is a relay device, determines a node connected to each port of the relay device. Receiving the connection information indicating that the node as the relay device belongs to which system of the multiplexed network from the connection information, and obtaining a connection relationship of the relay device for each system. .
[0017]
Furthermore, the present invention also includes, as a range, a program used by an information processing device which is one node in a system having a network multiplexed into a plurality of systems, and a portable storage medium readable by the information processing device.
[0018]
According to the present invention, the relay device constituting the network is divided for each system, and the connection relationship is examined for each system, so that the physical connection relationship of the nodes can be grasped even if a multiplexed part is included in the network. You can do it.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a system according to the present embodiment.
[0020]
The system shown in FIG. 9 is obtained by duplicating the network of the network configuration system shown in FIG. 9 into two systems A and B, and includes a management node 1 and terminal nodes 4-1 to 4-4 which are nodes on the network. Are connected by a cascade-connected network of a root switch (RootSW) 2 and a switching hub (SW-HUB) 3a-1, 3a-2, 3b-1, 3b-2. In the system of FIG. 1, even if a communication failure occurs in one of the A system and the B system, communication between nodes can be performed using the other system.
[0021]
FIG. 2 is an external view of the switching hub 3.
The switching hub 3 functions as a relay device for data exchanged between nodes in the network. The switching hub 3 is a hub (concentrator) having a switching function and has a plurality of input / output ports as connection ports 11. In addition, a larger network can be configured by cascading the switching hubs 3 with each other. The switching hub 3 temporarily stores the received packet therein, checks its destination, and transmits the packet only to the connection port 11 to which the destination network device is connected. For this reason, the switching hub 3 internally creates and stores therein an MIB (Management Information Base) indicating what kind of device is connected beyond its own connection port.
[0022]
P1 to P4 in FIG. 1 indicate connection ports of the root switch (RootSW) 2 and the switching hub (SW-HUB) 3. Further, the root switches 2a and 2b are physically the same as the switching hub 3, and as described later, when generating the connection configuration information indicating the connection relationship, the root switches 2a and 2b are switched from the switching hub 3 in the A system and the B system. One from each will be elected.
[0023]
In the system of FIG. 1, the management node (GM) 1 and the terminal nodes (ST) 4-1 to 4-4 are connected to the respective switching units 2-1 via the duplex unit 5, and the A system and the B system Are redundantly connected by the two networks. In the figure, it is assumed that the management node 1 and the terminal nodes 4-3 and 4-4 have the same function as the duplex unit 5, and are redundantly connected to the network using this function.
[0024]
When communicating with another node, the management node 1 and the terminal node 4 send data to the communication networks of both the A and B systems, and the receiving side sends data from both the A and B communication networks. When the data is received, the data is received based on a predetermined rule such as adopting the one that arrived first.
[0025]
In the system as shown in FIG. 1, a processing procedure when the management node 1 generates connection configuration information indicating the connection relation of the system will be described below.
1. Information collection and database creation ( 1) Search of all nodes First, the management node 1 sequentially recognizes all logical addresses (IP addresses) allocated to the nodes in the system in order to recognize all nodes in the system. Is accessed using, for example, a ping (Packet InterNetwork Groper) command of TCP / IP. If there is a response, it recognizes that the node having the logical address exists in the system.
(2) Create an entry table.
[0026]
An entry table is created in which the nodes whose existence has been confirmed in (1) are registered.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the entry table.
The entry table is a table for managing nodes existing on the network. In the figure, the entry table is used to identify, for each node whose existence has been confirmed in the system in the process (1), an identifier and a physical address (MAC address). ), A logical address (IP address), a management number, and an attribute are recorded in association with each other.
[0027]
In the figure, the identifier is a code for identifying each node registered in the entry table, and when the node is registered in the entry table, the ID. 1, ID. 2,... Are set mechanically. The physical address is a physical address in the network of the node, and in the example of FIG. 3, a MAC address is stored. The logical address is a logical address on the network of the node, and in this example, an IP address is stored. The management number is a number assigned only when the node is the terminal node 4, and is used by an application program running on the management node 1. The entry table may not have this management number. The attribute is information indicating the type of the switching hub 3, the terminal node 4, and the like. When the attribute indicates the switching hub 3, whether the attribute belongs to the system A or the system B as described later is recorded in the attribute portion.
[0028]
When the management node 1 recognizes the node existing on the network by the process (1), first, the management node 1 stores the identifier and the IP address of the node whose existence has been recognized in the entry table in association with each other. The other items of this entry table are sequentially examined by the following processing, and this entry table is created.
[0029]
First, the management node 1 obtains a physical address (MAC address) of each node by using an ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) command based on the IP address on the entry table, and associates this with a corresponding IP address in the entry table. Remember.
{Circle around (3)} Redundant information such as management numbers and attributes is collected from all nodes, and an entry table is created.
[0030]
The management node 1 reads redundancy information unique to each node from the node where the physical address and the logical address are found. In the process of reading the redundancy information, for example, each node is regarded as the switching hub 3, the redundancy information of the switching hub 3 is requested from each node, and the attribute of the node from which the redundancy information is obtained as a response is returned. The switching hub 3 is determined, and this redundancy information is registered in the entry table. Next, the management node 1 regards each node as the terminal node 4, requests the redundancy information possessed by the terminal node 4, and so on.
[0031]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of redundancy information possessed by each node.
In FIG. 1, the management node 1 includes management information (node number), an attribute indicating the type of the node (PC (terminal node), programmable controller (PLC), redundant unit, SW, Management system, etc.), A system connection destination address, B system connection destination address, and connection state (link up (connected state) / link down (unconnected state)) with A system and B system. ing.
[0032]
The item of the redundancy information differs depending on the type of the node. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the node is the terminal node 4. For example, when the node is the switching hub 3, in the item of the redundancy information in FIG. 4, there is no information on the connection destination addresses of the A system and the B system and the connection state with the A system and the B system. It has connection information indicating what device is connected to the end of each port based on the connection information. The information on the attribute is not based on the node itself, but is based on the result of the judgment by the management node 1 described above.
{Circle around (4)} Collect information on connection ports from nodes whose attributes in the entry table are switching hubs.
[0033]
The root switch 2 (not distinguished from the switching hub 3 at this time) and the switching hub 3 provide connection information indicating what kind of device is connected to its own connection port with an IP address and an IP address. The MIB has a protocol (code table) corresponding to the physical address in the MIB. The management node 1 sequentially requests the nodes whose attributes are registered as switching hubs in the entry table to transmit the code table using SNMP, and collects the connection information.
(5) The node connected to each connection port of the switching hub 3 is recorded, and a SW table recording connection information is created.
[0034]
Based on the information collected in (4), a SW table is created that records connection information indicating what devices are connected to each connection port of all switching hubs 3 in the system.
[0035]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the SW table.
In the figure, the SW table is data in the form of a list configured for each port of the switching hub 3. It has a port number and link information to the next data as a set of entries 51.
[0036]
In the figure, as the port information about the port 1 of the switching hub SW1, information about the port and the device connected to the port are shown as entries 51a-1, 51a-2,. As the port information on the port 3, information on the port 3 of the SW2 and the devices connected to the port 3 are stored as entries 51b-1, 51b-2,... As data having a list structure.
[0037]
The management node 1 determines, based on the MIB, what devices are connected to the connection ports of all the root switches 2 and the switching hubs 3 as shown in FIG. Is created, and this is used to create the following SW table. The connection configuration information is created by the processing shown in the connection configuration information creation.
2. Creation of connection configuration information The management node 1 creates connection configuration information from the port connection information of the SW table by the following processes (1) to (8).
{Circle around (1)} One root switch 2 is determined from each of the two systems A and B of the duplicated network, and this is set as the root switch 2. As a method of determining the root switch 2, from among the switching hubs 3 which belong to the system A or the system B in advance, for example, the one with the smallest logical address, the one with the smallest logical address, the one with the largest logical address, Alternatively, a specific address is determined by a method such as designation. After the root switch 2 is determined, the root switch 2 is set to the upstream and the terminal is set to the downstream.
(2) The physical addresses of the root switch 2 of the A system and the root switch 2 of the B system are acquired from the entry table.
(3) Search the list data for each connection port constituting each SW table for data of a device having the physical address of the root switch 2 determined in (2).
[0038]
First, the entry table is searched with the physical addresses of the switching hubs 3 of the A system and the B system, and their identifiers (IDs) are checked. Next, the SW table is searched by the ID, and the switching hub 3 having an entry including the ID of the switching hub 3 of the A system as the port connection information of any port includes the ID of the switching hub 3 of the A system and the B system. The switching hub 3 having an entry as port connection information of one of the ports is separated from the B system.
Based on the processing results of (4) and (3), each switching hub 3 is classified as belonging to the A system or the B system, and the attribute of the corresponding ID in the entry table is assigned to the A system or the B system. Write whether it belongs to.
(5) For each of the A system and the B system, the SW table is searched for a link for each switching hub 3 one by one.
(6) If the number of entries of the switching hub 3 of each connection port is one, it is determined that the connection is directly connected, the connection is stored in the connection configuration information, and the entry is excluded from the list data.
(7) Repeat (5) and (6) until the number of entries of all the connection ports is one or disappears.
{8} As described above, the connection relation between the switching hubs 3 is recorded as the connection configuration information, and the physical connection of the devices on the network can be determined together with the connection configuration information and the information in the entry table.
[0039]
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the above processes (5) to (8).
The figure shows an example in which connection configuration information indicating the connection state of each switching hub 3 is obtained in a network having a topology as shown in FIG.
[0040]
In FIG. 3A, ○ indicates a node by the switching hub 3 and □ indicates a management node M. Further, it is assumed that the nodes A and F have been selected as the root switch 2 by the processing of (1), and it has been determined by the processing up to (4) whether each node belongs to the A system or the B system. Shall be.
[0041]
FIG. 2B summarizes the port connection information in the SW table in the system having the configuration shown in FIG. 1A, focusing on the connection relationship. Is connected. For example, it can be seen that node M is connected to the end of port 1 of node A, and nodes B, C, D, and E are connected to the end of port 2.
[0042]
In the contents of the SW table as shown in FIG. 3B, looking at the nodes belonging to the A system, only one node is connected to the port 1 of the node A, the port 2 of the node B, and the port 2 of the node C. Have been. This indicates that the management node M is directly connected to the port 1 of the node A, the node D is connected to the port 2 of the node B, and the node E is directly connected to the port 2 of the node C. It is recorded in the configuration information, and the entry data of the management nodes M, D, and E is deleted from the SW table. Also, since the management nodes M, D, and E use only one port and the connection destination of the port is known, the entry data of the management nodes M, D, and E are also deleted.
[0043]
FIG. 6C shows the result of performing the above-described entry data deletion processing from FIG. 6B. From the state of FIG. 6C, the nodes A and Since it is known that the node C is directly connected, this is recorded in the connection configuration information, and the entry data of the nodes A and C is deleted from the SW table.
[0044]
As a result, since the number of entries of all connection ports in the SW data is one or lost, all connection relationships of nodes belonging to the A system are recorded in the connection configuration information. Also for nodes that are classified as belonging to By this processing, all connection relationships are recorded in the connection configuration information, and the physical connection of the devices on the network can be known together with the connection configuration information and the information in the entry table.
[0045]
Then, the management node uses the connection configuration information and the information in the entry table to grasp the physical connection relationship of each node in the system, display the information to an operator, and perform error management in the system. Or use it.
[0046]
In addition, by recording and accumulating connection configuration information and an entry table and comparing new information with previously acquired information, it is possible to grasp a change in state including occurrence of an abnormality.
[0047]
FIG. 7 is an information processing system environment diagram of the management node 1.
The system shown in FIG. 1 includes a CPU 31, a main storage device 32 serving as a work area for each program, an auxiliary storage device 33 such as a hard disk in which each program and database are recorded, and an input / output device (I / O) 34 such as a display and a keyboard. , A modem or a network connection device 35, and a medium reading device 36 for reading stored contents from a portable storage medium such as a disk or a magnetic tape.
[0048]
When the various functions performed by the management node 1 described above are realized by software, the CPU 31 uses the main storage device 32 as a work area and uses the main storage device 32 as a work area based on programs on the main storage device 32 and the auxiliary storage device 33. This is realized by reading data such as various threshold values and condition values stored in the device 32 or the auxiliary storage device 33.
[0049]
In the management node 1 shown in FIG. 7, the medium reading device 36 reads out programs and data stored in a storage medium 37 such as a magnetic tape, a flexible disk, a CD-ROM, and an MO, and reads them out from the main storage device 32 or the auxiliary storage device. 33 download. Each process according to the present embodiment can be realized by software by the CPU 31 executing this program or data.
[0050]
In the computer of FIG. 7, application software may be exchanged using a storage medium 37 such as a flexible disk. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the network system and the connection configuration information generating method, but also includes a program for causing a computer to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment of the present invention when used by the computer, and a computer-readable program storing the program. It can also be configured as a possible storage medium 46.
[0051]
In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, the “storage medium” is detachable from a medium drive device 47 such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (or an MO, a DVD, or a removable hard disk). A portable storage medium 46, a storage means (database or the like) 42 in an external device (a server or the like) transmitted via the network line 43, a memory (RAM or a hard disk or the like) 45 in a main body 44 of the computer 41, or the like. included. The programs stored in the portable storage medium 46 and the storage means (database or the like) 42 are loaded into a memory (RAM or hard disk or the like) 45 in the main body 44 and executed.
[0052]
In the above example, a system having a duplicated portion in the network is shown as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to a system having a portion multiplexed more than three times.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, even when the system includes a network having multiplexed transmission paths, the physical connection state of each node can be grasped.
[0054]
In addition, by comparing the information indicating the connection state with the information obtained before, it is possible to grasp a change in the state including the occurrence of the abnormality.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an external view of a switching hub.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an entry table.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of redundancy information.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a SW table.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of connection configuration information creation processing.
FIG. 7 is a system environment diagram of a management node.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a medium.
FIG. 9 is a configuration example of a system having a general tree-type network connection.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 101 management node 2 root switch 3, 102 switching hub 4, 103 terminal node 11 connection port 31 CPU
32 main storage device 33 auxiliary storage device 34 input / output device 35 network connection device 36 medium reading device 37 storage medium 38 bus 41 information processing device 42 storage means 43 network line 44 main body 45 memory 46 portable storage medium 47 medium drive device

Claims (6)

In a network system with a network multiplexed into multiple systems,
A plurality of relay devices for relaying data exchanged between nodes on the network,
From the relay device, connection information indicating a node connected to each port of the relay device is received, and from the connection information, it is determined to which system of the multiplexed network the relay device on the network belongs. After examining, a management node for obtaining a physical connection relationship of the node,
A network system comprising: The network system according to claim 1, wherein the relay device is a switching hub, and the connection information is based on MIB. A connection configuration information generation method for obtaining connection configuration information indicating a physical connection relationship between nodes in a system having a network multiplexed into a plurality of systems,
Searching for all nodes on the network,
Find the attributes of the node,
From the node whose attribute is a relay device, receiving connection information indicating a node connected to each port of the relay device,
From the connection information, check which node of the multiplexed network the node as the relay device belongs to,
A connection information generation method, wherein a connection relationship of the relay devices is obtained for each system. An address of the node is obtained, one attribute is selected from each of the systems of the multiplexed network to select a node of the relay device, and the node is divided into the systems using the address of the selected node as the connection information. 4. The connection information generation method according to claim 3, wherein the connection relation is obtained. When used by an information processing device that is one node in a system having a network multiplexed into a plurality of systems,
Searching for all nodes on the network,
Find the attributes of the node,
From the node whose attribute is a relay device, receiving connection information indicating a node connected to each port of the relay device,
From the connection information, check which node of the multiplexed network the node as the relay device belongs to,
A program that causes the computer to execute a process of determining a connection relationship of the relay device for each system. When used by an information processing device that is one node in a system having a network multiplexed into a plurality of systems,
Searching for all nodes on the network,
Find the attributes of the node,
From the node whose attribute is a relay device, receiving connection information indicating a node connected to each port of the relay device,
From the connection information, check which node of the multiplexed network the node as the relay device belongs to,
A portable storage medium that is readable by the information processing device and stores a program that causes the information processing device to determine the connection relationship of the relay device for each system.

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