JP2006352713A - Network line multiplexing apparatus capable of informing path soundness information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network line multiplexing apparatus capable of informing a communication apparatus connected to an own apparatus about soundness of all communication lines including a presently used system in communication using a redundant communication line. <P>SOLUTION: The network line multiplexing apparatus is used for connecting communication apparatuses via multiplexed communication lines composed of the presently used system communication line presently used and a standby communication line to be switched and used when a failure occurs in the presently used system. The apparatus is provided with a communication line monitoring means for always monitoring the soundness of all the communication lines including the presently used system and communication apparatuses of communication destinations, and storing a result of monitoring as path state information; and a path state information informing means for informing the communication apparatus to be directly connected to the multiplexing apparatus about the path state information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a network line multiplexing apparatus for connecting communication devices with a multiplexed communication line composed of a currently used communication line and a standby communication line, and more specifically, the path state information is transmitted to the own apparatus. The present invention relates to a network line multiplexing apparatus capable of notifying a communication device directly connected to the network.

  There are various physical layers and communication protocols in currently popular communication networks, but a combination of Ethernet (registered trademark) and TCP / IP or UDP / IP is common. .

  For network redundancy, there is a method based on STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) using a switching hub (SW-HUB). STP has a SW-HUB connection in a closed loop configuration and stops the relay function of one port in the loop. By controlling the position of the port that stops the relay function, it is possible to realize network redundancy by assuming that a one-point failure on the line does not affect the system.

  For a wider range of network redundancy, there is a method using RIP (Routing Information Protocol) or OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) using a router. In this case, various communication paths can be used, but the line redundancy is up to the router.

  Further, as another example of network redundancy, as in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a communication device and a hub are connected by Ethernet (registered trademark), and the circuit at the end of the hub is connected to the main system and the slave system. There is a communication multiplexing system configured so as to be composed of (communication system) duplex communication lines.

However, in the above-described network redundancy method, communication data is communicated through a redundant line, but information on whether the backup line is sound cannot be recognized by a program on the communication device. That is, there is a problem that even if there is a failure on the redundant line, normal communication is maintained in actual communication, so that the operator cannot recognize and accurate preventive maintenance measures cannot be performed on the failed part.
JP 2004-120042 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-313348

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a network capable of notifying communication devices connected to its own apparatus of the soundness of all communication lines including the currently used system in communication using redundant communication lines. It is to provide a line multiplexing apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention monitors the soundness of all communication lines including the currently used system, stores the observation results as route state information, and stores the stored route state information in a communication device. Added notification.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a multiplexing system comprising a currently used communication line that is currently used between communication devices and a standby communication line that is used by switching when a failure occurs in the currently used system. A network line multiplexing apparatus for connecting with an integrated communication line, which always monitors the soundness of all communication lines including the currently used system and communication devices of communication destinations, and uses the monitoring result as route state information Communication line monitoring means for storing, and path status information notifying means for notifying the path status information to a communication device directly connected to the multiplexer. As a result, the operator can grasp the failure location in all communication lines of the currently used system and the standby system from the notified path status information.

Accordingly, it is possible for the operator to appropriately perform preventive and maintenance measures on the failure location of the standby system while performing normal communication.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a multiplexing system comprising a currently used communication line that is currently used between communication devices and a standby communication line that is used by switching when a failure occurs in the currently used system. A network line multiplexer for connecting with a communication line that has been multiplexed, wherein data transmitted from the communication device connected to a local port of the line multiplexer is multiplexed. User data relay means for relaying and transmitting to one communication line, and relaying and transmitting data received from any of the multiplexed communication lines, and data relayed by the user data relay means The MAC address and IP address of the communication device connected to the local port of the line multiplexer are acquired and stored from the header portion of Connected to a connected device recognition means for detecting a failure of the communication device itself and storing its state based on whether a PING command is transmitted from the port and receiving a response, and connected to the local port of the line multiplexer Route state information storage means for storing route state information to all communication devices communicating with the communication device as route state information, and the communication device connected to the local port of the line multiplexer. A route status inquiry request is transmitted to the same destination as the data to be received, a response to the request is received, the content of the response data is stored as route status information in the route status information storage means, and the route status query request is received A path state detection unit that creates and transmits response data using the MAC address and IP address stored by the connected device recognition unit; Network path status information notifying means for transmitting the path status information stored in the path status information storage means to the communication device connected to a local port of the line multiplexer. .

  As a result, the operator can grasp the failure location in all the communication lines of the currently used system and the standby system from the path state information. Accordingly, it is possible for the operator to appropriately perform preventive and maintenance measures on the failure location of the standby system while performing normal communication.

  According to the present invention, in communication via a redundant network, that is, a multiplexed communication line, an operator can not only fail on a currently used communication line but also on a standby communication line in a standby state. The location can also be grasped. Therefore, it is possible to accurately carry out maintenance measures in advance for a failure location on the standby communication line while continuing normal system operation.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a principle configuration of a line multiplexer 1 of the present invention.
The line multiplexing apparatus 1 of the present invention is directly connected to a communication device 4 and a communication line (communication line I5-1, communication line) in which a communication line to a communication device 4 (not shown) of the communication device 4 is multiplexed. It plays the role of connecting in II5-2).

  The line multiplexing device 1 monitors the soundness of the communication device 1 itself and the soundness of the lines I and II, and stores the monitoring result as route state information, and the communication Route state information notifying means 3 for notifying the communication device 4 of the route state information stored by the line monitoring means 2 is provided.

  Hereinafter, the line multiplexing apparatus of the present invention will be described in more detail using the multiplexed line shown in FIG. 2 as an example. In FIG. 2, each communication device that requires line duplication connects a line multiplexing device between two switching hubs. That is, the communication device N-1 is connected to the LOCAL-PORT of the line multiplexer U (N1), and the A-PORT and B-PORT are provided on the opposite side of the LOCAL-PORT, respectively. Line B connects. Each device is connected to line A and line B in the order of switching hub SW (A1, B1), router R (A1, B1), router R (A2.B2), switching hub SW (A2, B2). The process ends in the A-PORT and B-PORT of the line multiplexing apparatus U (N2) on the other side. The line multiplexer U (N2) has the same configuration as the line multiplexer U (N1), and the communication device N-2 is connected to the LOCAL-PORT of the apparatus. The communication device N-2 is a counterpart communication device of the communication device N-1. In this example, the line A is used as the main (currently used) line, and the line B is used as the secondary (standby) line. Communication between the communication device N-1 and the communication device N-2 normally uses the main line, and if any failure occurs on the main system, the communication is performed using the secondary system (standby system). It can be continued.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a more detailed configuration of the line multiplexer (U (N1), U (N2)). The line multiplexing apparatus includes a user data relay unit 31, a connected device recognition unit 32, a route state detection unit 33, a route state information storage unit 34, and a network route state information notification unit 35. The correspondence relationship between FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is that the connected device recognition unit 32, the route state detection unit 33, and the route state information storage unit 34 correspond to the communication line monitoring means 2, and the network route state information notification unit 35 has the route state. This corresponds to the information notification unit 3.

Hereinafter, functions of each unit will be described in order.
(1) User data relay unit 31
The user data relay unit 31 relays and transmits data transmitted from the communication device connected to the LOCAL-PORT of the line multiplexer to the line A or B, and the data received from the line A or B Has a function of relaying and transmitting to a communication device connected to LOCAL-PORT.

(2) Connected device recognition unit 32
When a communication device connected to LOCAL-PORT transmits some kind of data, it always goes through its own device. Therefore, the connected device recognizing unit 32 observes the data packet relayed from the LOCAL-PORT of the device to the line A or the line B, that is, the header portion of the data packet passing through the user data relay unit 31 described above, thereby connecting communication. It is possible to know the MAC address and IP address of the device. Both addresses obtained here are constantly updated and stored in the connected device recognition unit 32.

  The connected device recognition unit 32 checks the physical connection state of the LOCAL-PORT, recognizes the connection state between the LOCAL-PORT and the communication device, detects a failure (not connected) here, and determines the state. Remember.

  Furthermore, the connected device recognition unit 32 transmits a PING command from the LOCAL-PORT to the communication device, checks whether the response can be received, checks the soundness of the communication device itself, and detects a failure of the communication device itself. , Remember the state. The health check of the communication device itself is periodically performed and the latest state is always managed.

(3) Route state detection unit 33
FIG. 4 shows a detailed configuration of the route state detection unit 33. An inquiry request transmission unit 41 that transmits a “route state inquiry request” from its own device to the same destination as the data transmitted from the LOCAL-PORT connection communication device, a response data reception unit 42 that receives response data for the request, and the response data A response data management unit 43 that stores and manages the contents and stores the information in the route state information storage unit 34. When an inquiry request is received, the response data is generated and transmitted. Is provided.

The “route state inquiry request” created by the inquiry request transmission unit 41 has a UDP data structure and is transmitted with a port number designated with a meaning number “route state inquiry request”.
In creating the inquiry request data, the address of the target communication device is used as the destination IP address, not the address of the counterpart line multiplexing device. Further, as the transmission source IP address and MAC address of the inquiry request, the address of the communication device connected to the own device is used instead of the address of the own device. As a result, data transmission is performed to the target communication device through the same path through which the original user data passes.

  Response data creation / transmission unit of the path state detection unit 33 of the line multiplexer to which the partner communication device is connected through the same route as the data transmitted from the LOCAL-PORT connection communication device. 44, the response data creation / transmission unit 44 stores the response data including the address information of the communication device connected to the LOCAL-PORT and the connection state stored in the connection device recognition unit 32. Create and reply to the sender. That is, the line multiplexing apparatus that has received the request fetches the request into the local apparatus without relaying the request data to the communication device indicated by the IP address, and performs processing such as response processing. For the creation of response data, as in the case of the inquiry request, the address of the communication device connected to the response destination line multiplexer is used for the destination IP address, and the source IP address and MAC address are Use the address of the communication device connected to the device.

  When the response data receiving unit 42 of the line multiplexer that has transmitted the “route status inquiry request” receives the response data, the response data is transmitted to the response data management unit 43, and the data can be stored in the path status information storage unit 34. The data is converted into a data format, and is stored in the route state information storage unit 34 together with information on the currently used line. Information on the currently used line can be acquired by referring to the destination communication line on which the user data relay unit 31 relays data.

  FIG. 5 shows an outline of the exchange of inquiry request / response, taking the multiplexed line of FIG. 2 as an example. That is, when an inquiry request is transmitted from the line multiplexer U (N1), a response to the request is returned from the line multiplexer U (N2) to which the counterpart communication device N-2 is connected. The data structure of the inquiry request and the data structure of the inquiry response are as shown in the figure. In the case of the inquiry request, the transmission destination IP address is the address of the communication device N-2, and the transmission source IP address / MAC address is the communication device. In the case of an inquiry response, the destination IP address is the address of the communication device N-1, and the source IP address / MAC address is the address of the communication device N-2.

Further, the data structure of the inquiry request and inquiry response in FIG. 5 shows only the IP address and MAC address indicating the data transmission destination communication device and the transmission source communication device. Such information is further included.

Example of information included in inquiry request data-IP address of request source line multiplexer-IP address of communication equipment connected to request source line multiplexer-This request data transmission line (A line or B line? )
-PORT status of request source line multiplexer (Is LOCAL-PORT, A-PORT, B-PORT LINK UP or LINK DOWN?)
-Soundness of communication equipment connected to request source line multiplexer

Example of information included in inquiry response data-IP address of response source line multiplexer-IP address of communication device connected to response source line multiplexer-This response data transmission line (A line or B line? )
-PORT status of response source line multiplexer (Is LOCAL-PORT, A-PORT, B-PORT LINK UP or LINK DOWN?)
・ Health of communication equipment connected to response source multiplexing equipment

As described above, the path state detection unit 33 of the line multiplexing apparatus sends a “path state inquiry request” to all transmission partners transmitted from the communication device connected to the LOCAL-PORT of the own apparatus. It is possible to confirm the soundness of the communication line by transmitting from the line and receiving each response data, and to know the soundness of the response source communication device from the contents of the response data. That is, it is possible to confirm the soundness of the network route to the other communication device by actually using the A line and the B line and always grasp the latest route state information.

(4) Route state information storage unit 34
The route state information storage unit 34 stores and saves route state information indicating the soundness of the network route to the partner communication device collected by the route state detection unit 33. An example of the contents of the route state information is shown below. The following path state information is managed for each counterpart communication device. A specific example of the route state information will be described later with reference to FIG.

○ Example of contents of route status information ・ IP address of partner communication device ・ Route health to partner communication device via line A (OK / NG)
-Route soundness to the other communication device on the B line (OK / NG)
• PORT status of the line multiplexing device to which the partner communication device is connected (Is LOCAL-PORT, A-PORT, B-PORT linked up or linked down?)
・ Health of the communication device itself (OK / NG)
・ Current route information (A line or B line?)

(5) Network path state information notification unit 35
The network route state information notification unit 35 has a function of transmitting the route state information stored in the route state information storage unit 34 to a communication device connected to the LOCAL-PORT of its own device. The communication device can receive this information and recognize where there is an abnormality such as a failure in the path between the partner communication devices. Note that the timing notified by the network route state information notification unit 35 may be configured to actively notify periodically, or when an operator or the like requests route state information via a communication device. The information may be transmitted as a response in response to the request.

6 to 8 specifically show the relationship between the failure detectable location and the path state information in the line illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of route state information notified from the line multiplexing apparatus. An example of the contents of the route state information is shown in the route state information storage unit 34 of (4). FIG. 6 corresponds to a specific example of this.

The path status information includes, from the left in FIG. 6, the IP address of the partner communication device, the soundness of the route from the A line to the partner communication device (this consists of the state of the A port and the state of the route of the A line), the B line Soundness up to the other communication device (similarly composed of the state of the B port and the state on the path of the B line), the state of the PORT (L-PORT, Each of A-PORT and B-PORT is LINK UP or DOWN?), The soundness of the partner communication device itself, and the currently used line (A line or B line).
6, K2, K3,..., K9 correspond to the failure detectable locations K2 to K9 on the line shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 shows each failure location recognizable from the communication device N-1 in FIG. 7 in association with path state information that can identify each failure location. That is, when the communication device N-1 receives route state information as shown in FIG. 8, it is possible to recognize the failure location.
If the cable between the communication device N-1 and the line multiplexer U (N1) is disconnected or a failure occurs in the line multiplexer U (N1) itself, route state information is not notified from the line multiplexer U (N1). Can be identified from In FIG. 8, since the information cannot be received by the communication device N-1, the content of the information cannot be determined as OK or NG and is “−”.

  Also, disconnection of the A or B port cable of the line multiplexer U (N1), or the failure or interruption of the switching hub SW (A1 or B1) may indicate that the A or B port of the line multiplexer U (N1) is not connected. It can be specified from the link information, and the path state information corresponds to the case where the port state (K2 / K3) of the A line or the B line is NG as shown in FIG.

  The failure of the routers R (A1 or B1) to R (A2 or B2) is caused by the line multiplexing devices U (N1) and U (N2) from the corresponding line even though the A and B ports are in the link state. The path status information can be identified from the fact that the path status inquiry response cannot be received, and the path status information corresponds to the case where the path status (K4 to K7) of the A line or the B line is NG as shown in FIG.

The failure of the switching hub SW (A2 or B2), power interruption, or disconnection of the A or B port cable of the line multiplexer U (N2) is identified from the unlinked information of the A or B port of the line multiplexer U (N2). The path state information corresponds to the case where the LINK (K5 / K6) of the A port and the B port of the partner node information is NG (that is, LINK DOWN) as shown in FIG. .
The failure of the line multiplexer U (N2) can be identified from the fact that the path state inquiry response is not received from both lines A and B, and the path state information is obtained as shown in FIG. This corresponds to the case where the LINK of the A and B ports of (N1) is OK (that is, LINK UP), but the others are NG.

  A cable disconnection between the line multiplexing device U (N2) and the communication device N-2 or a failure of the communication device N-2 itself is caused by an abnormality (unlinked) in the LOCAL-PORT connection device in the line multiplexing device U (N2). ) Information can be specified from the information, as shown in FIG. 8, the LOCAL-PORT LINK (K8 / K9) of the partner node information and the state of the partner communication device (K9) are NG as shown in FIG. It corresponds to.

In this way, it is possible to identify and find a fault location on all routes from the route state information notified to the communication device by the network route state information notification unit 35.
In the above (1) to (5), each part of the line multiplexer shown in FIG. 3 has been described in detail.

  According to the present invention, in communication via multiplexed communication lines, the operator can not only find a failure on the currently used communication line that is currently used, but also a failure point on the standby communication line in the standby state. Since it is possible to grasp, it is possible to accurately perform maintenance measures on the failure point of the standby system while continuing normal system operation.

  Although the line multiplexing apparatus of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above description. That is, it goes without saying that various configurations or shapes can be employed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the principle structure of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the line multiplexing in this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of a line multiplexing apparatus. It is a figure explaining the detail of a path | route state detection part. It is a figure which shows exchange of an inquiry request / response. It is a figure which shows the example of the path | route state information notified from a line multiplexing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the location which can detect a failure in the line | wire shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the failure location which can be recognized from the communication apparatus N-1, and the path | route state information which can identify it.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Line multiplexing apparatus 2 Communication line monitoring means 3 Path | route state information notification means 4 Communication equipment 5-1 and 5-2 Line 31 User data relay part 32 Connected apparatus recognition part 33 Path | route state detection part 34 Path | route state information storage part 35 Network Route status information notification unit 41 Inquiry request transmission unit 42 Inquiry response reception unit 43 Response data management unit 44 Response data creation / transmission unit N-1, N-2 Communication equipment U (N1), U (N2) Line multiplexer SW (A1), SW (A2), SW (B1), SW (B2) Switching hub R (A1), R (A2), R (B1), R (B2) Router

Claims (2)

To connect communication devices with a multiplexed communication line consisting of the currently used communication line that is currently used and the standby communication line that is used when a failure occurs in the current use system. Network line multiplexer of
A communication line monitoring means for constantly monitoring the soundness of all communication lines including the currently used system and communication apparatuses of communication destinations, and storing the monitoring results as path state information;
Route state information notifying means for notifying the route state information to a communication device directly connected to the multiplexing device;
A network line multiplexing apparatus comprising: To connect communication devices with a multiplexed communication line consisting of the currently used communication line that is currently used and the standby communication line that is used when a failure occurs in the current use system. Network line multiplexer of
Any of the data transmitted from the communication device connected to the local port of the line multiplexer is relayed and transmitted to one of the multiplexed communication lines, or multiplexed. User data relay means for relaying and transmitting data received from a communication line to the communication device;
The MAC address and IP address of the communication device connected to the local port of the line multiplexing device are acquired from the header portion of the data relayed by the user data relay means, and stored in the communication device from the local port. A connected device recognizing means for transmitting a PING command and detecting a failure of the communication device itself based on whether or not to receive a response and storing the state thereof;
Route state information storage means for storing route state information etc. as route state information to all communication devices communicating with the communication device connected to the local port of the line multiplexer;
A route state inquiry request is transmitted to the same destination as the data transmitted from the communication device connected to the local port of the line multiplexing device, a response to the request is received, and the response data content is used as the route state information. Route state detection that is stored in the route state information storage means, and when the route state inquiry request is received, response data is created and transmitted using the MAC address and IP address stored by the connected device recognition means. Means,
Network path state information notifying means for transmitting the path state information stored in the path state information storing means to the communication device connected to the local port of the line multiplexer;
A network line multiplexing apparatus comprising:

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