JP3491746B2 - Switching hub - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switching hub, and more particularly to a switching hub capable of confirming communication in a network layer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a communication protocol is an agreement regarding a data format and transmission / reception control in data communication, and OSI (Open Systems Interconnection)
It is internationally standardized as a reference model.

In the OSI reference model, many protocols required for data communication are defined as physical layer (layer 1), data link layer (layer 2), network layer (layer 3), transport layer (layer 4), session. The layers are classified into seven layers (layers) including a layer (layer 5), a presentation layer (layer 6), and an application layer (layer 7).

In conventional switching hubs, LAN (Lo
cal area network) physical connection with LAN, LAN
The connection of the physical layer and the data link layer of the OSI reference model can be automatically recognized (hereinafter, referred to as conventional example 1).

Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-112519, an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo test is performed on a candidate for a default router, and if it is normal, the address of that router is registered. A hub with a management function is disclosed (hereinafter referred to as Conventional Example 2).

[0006]

However, in the conventional example 1, in order to confirm the normality of communication in the network layer above the data link layer, two network terminals are connected so as to pass through the connection. The confirmation work was troublesome because it was necessary to connect and confirm whether or not they could communicate with each other.

Further, a long working time is required from installation of the network to actual operation.

Further, in the switching hub having the display unit for displaying the normality of the connection up to the data link layer, the normal display of the data link is maintained even when the communication between the actual terminals cannot be established. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time to identify the location of the communication abnormality.

On the other hand, in the conventional example 2, the target of the echo test is the default router (default gateway), whereas in the present invention, the target is a terminal connected to the port, a switch (switching hub), a hub (shared hub). ) And other network devices, they are different inventions.

According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically confirm communication in the network layer, shorten the time from the installation of the network to the actual operation, and quickly identify the location of communication abnormality. An object is to provide a switching hub that can be used.

[0011]

A switching hub of the present invention is provided with a plurality of ports, and a network address setting means for setting an address of a network layer of a network device connected to each port, and the network address setting. An echo request is made to the network device connected to each port using the address set by the means. If there is a response from the network device, it is judged that the network status is normal, and if there is no response, it is abnormal. The network state confirmation means for determining that the network state confirmation means determines that the network state confirmation means holds the result of confirmation by the network state confirmation means, and the display section provided corresponding to each of the ports holds the network state holding means. The network status for each port that is enabled And Ttowaku status display means, in which at a preset time interval, and having a network confirmation instruction means for instructing to the network state checking means to check the status of the network layer of each port.

[0012]

A network state notifying unit for notifying the network state held by the network state holding unit to the outside may be provided.

A network address holding means for holding the set address of the network layer and notifying the address to the network status confirmation means may be provided according to an instruction from the network address setting means.

The network confirmation instruction means may include a timer for setting a time interval for instructing the network state confirmation means to confirm the state of the network layer of each port.

[0016]

According to the switching hub of the present invention, when a network device is connected by a LAN cable, communication at a network layer level with a preset network address is automatically confirmed, the result is displayed, and external communication is performed. Can be notified.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a switching hub according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a switching hub 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a data link status confirmation unit 2, a data link status holding unit 3, a data link status display unit 4, a network address setting unit 5, Network address holding unit 6, network state confirmation unit 7, network confirmation instruction unit 8, network confirmation timer 9, network state holding unit 10, network state display unit 1
1, an inter-LAN relay processing unit 12, a network status notification unit 17, and a plurality of LAN ports 13.

The data link status confirmation unit 2 is provided for each port 1.
Check the state of the physical layer and the data link layer of the OSI reference model for each 3, that is, whether the data link is established,
The data link status holding unit 3 is notified. The confirmation of the data link state is performed by, for example, whether or not the link signal transmitted periodically is normally received.

The data link state holding unit 3 has a port 13
The data of the state in the data link layer for each is held, and the data of the state is updated according to the notification from the data link state confirmation unit 2.

The data link status display section 4 displays based on the status data held in the data link status holding section 3 by LEDs or the like provided corresponding to each port 13. Alternatively, the information may be displayed and confirmed outside the management terminal 18 or the like via the network.

The network address setting unit 5 sets, for each port 13, the address of the network layer of the network device such as the terminal 14, the switch (switching hub) 15, the hub (shared hub) 16 connected to each port 13.

The network address holding unit 6 holds the address of the network layer for communicating with the terminal 14 of the network according to the instruction from the network address setting unit 5, and the address is accessed from the network state confirmation unit 7. Notify.

According to the confirmation instruction from the network confirmation instruction unit 8, the network state confirmation unit 7 uses the state of the network layer of the OSI reference model for each port 13, that is, the network address held by the network address holding unit 6, Check if communication is possible,
The state is notified to the network state holding unit 10. The network status confirmation unit 7 confirms the network status by, for example, an echo test.

The network confirmation instructing section 8 instructs the network state confirming section 7 to confirm the state of the network layer of each port 13 at a time interval preset in the network confirmation timer 9.

The network status holding unit 10 holds the data of the status of the network layer for each port 13, and updates the data of the status according to the notification from the network status checking unit 7.

The network status display section 11 displays the status held by the network status holding section 10 on the port 13
It is displayed by an LED or the like provided corresponding to each.

The network status notifying section 17 notifies the status held by the network status holding section 10 to the outside such as the management terminal 18 via a network or the like.

The inter-LAN relay processing unit 12 performs a relay process of communication between the ports 13 which is a function provided in a general switching hub.

A network device having a network address is connected to each port 13, and in the present embodiment, a terminal 14 (addresses A, A, A, A) is connected to the port 13 having port number 1. , A switch 15 (address B, B, B, B) for port 13 of port number 2
Is connected, and hub 16 is connected to port 13 with port number N.
(Addresses C, C, C, C) are connected.

FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram for explaining the table held in the network address holding unit 6, and FIG. 2B is a diagram for explaining the table held in the network state holding unit 10. FIG.

The network address holding unit 6 holds a table (see FIG. 2A) concerning the network address of each port 13 of each port number, and the network state holding unit 10 holds the network of each port 13 of each port number. Table regarding status (see FIG. 2B)
Is held.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The network address holding unit 6 holds the address of the network layer for performing communication with the terminal 14 of the network according to the instruction from the network address setting unit 5, and uses the address as the network state confirmation unit 7
Notify from access.

The network confirmation instructing section 8 instructs the network state confirming section 7 to confirm the state of the network layer of each port 13 at a time interval preset in the network confirmation timer 9.

In accordance with the confirmation instruction from the network confirmation instruction unit 8, the network state confirmation unit 7 uses the state of the network layer of the OSI reference model for each port 13, that is, the network address held by the network address holding unit 6, Whether or not communication is possible is confirmed, and the state is notified to the network state holding unit 10. For example, when performing an echo test in the network status confirmation unit 7, an echo request is issued to a network device such as the terminal 14, the switch 15 and the hub 16 connected to the port 13, and a response is sent from the network device. If there is, it is judged that the network status is normal, and if there is no response, it is judged that it is abnormal.

The network status holding unit 10 holds the data of the status of the network layer for each port 13, and updates the data of the status according to the notification from the network status checking unit 7.

In the network status display section 11, the status held by the network status holding section 10 is changed to port 1
It is displayed by an LED or the like provided corresponding to each item. Further, since the network status notification unit 17 notifies the management terminal 18 of the network status via a network or the like, the management terminal 18 can confirm the network status.

The data link state confirmation unit 2 confirms the states of the physical layer and the data link layer of the OSI reference model for each port 13, that is, whether or not the data link is established, and sends it to the data link state holding unit 3. Notice.

The data link status holding unit 3 updates the data in that status in response to the notification from the data link status checking unit 2.

The data link status display section 4 displays the status held by the data link status holding section 3 by means of an LED or the like provided for each port 13. Alternatively, the information may be displayed and confirmed outside the management terminal 18 or the like via the network.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of technical matters described in the claims.

[0043]

According to the switching hub of the present invention, when a network device is physically connected by a LAN cable, communication at a network layer level with a preset network address is automatically confirmed and the result is displayed. It can be displayed or notified to the outside. Therefore, in the switching hub of the present invention, since it is possible to automatically confirm the communication in the network layer which is not provided in the conventional switching hub, the communication of the protocol level in the actual operation between the terminals can be confirmed by the LAN cable. It is possible just by connecting.

Further, since the automatic network layer level operation confirmation of the switching hub of the present invention can be performed, the communication operation is confirmed by connecting two test network terminals so far to confirm the network layer level operation. Or, it was confirmed whether communication is possible by using the network terminal used in actual operation, but this work is unnecessary. As a result, the work time from network installation to actual operation can be greatly reduced.

Further, in the switching hub of the present invention,
Since the confirmation at the network layer level can be automatically performed on a regular basis, it is possible to always know the state of whether or not the communication at the network layer level is possible. As a result, it is possible to quickly identify the location of the communication abnormality.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a switching hub according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram for explaining a table held in a network address holding unit, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a table held in a network status holding unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Switching hub 2: Data link status confirmation unit 3: Data link status holding unit 4: Data link status display 5: Network address setting section 6: Network address holding unit 7: Network status checker 8: Network confirmation instruction section 9: Timer for network confirmation 10: Network state holding unit 11: Network status display section 12: Inter-LAN relay processing unit 13: LAN port 14: Terminal 15: Switch 16: Hub 17: Network status notification unit 18: Management terminal

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A switching hub having a plurality of ports, comprising: a network address setting means for setting an address of a network layer of a network device connected to each port; and an address set by the network address setting means. , The network connected to each port
Network device to send an echo request to the network device
If there is a response from the
Sectional and a network <br/> click state confirming means is judged to be abnormal if there is no response, the network state holding means for holding the result of confirmation by the network status confirmation means, in correspondence with each of said ports The display is provided on the
Each port held by the network status holding means
Network status display that displays the network status for each
Means and network layer of each port at a preset time interval
The network status checking means for checking the status of
And a network confirmation instruction means for instructing to a switching hub. 2. A network state notifying unit for notifying the outside of the network state held by the network state holding unit.
Switching hub described in. 3. A network address holding means for holding the set network layer address according to an instruction from the network address setting means and notifying the network state confirmation means of the address. The switching hub according to Item 1 or 2. 4. The network confirmation instruction means is the network confirmation instruction means.
To the network status check method The state of the network layer of each port
A timer that sets a time interval that instructs you to check the status
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
Switching hub described in one section.