JP4911591B2 - Intelligent patch panel management control system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an intelligent patch panel management control system, and more particularly, it is possible to change connection between client devices without changing physical wiring, and to provide the user with the connection status in real time. The present invention relates to a patch panel management control system.

  Client devices such as L2 switches and routers are connected directly or via a patch panel using a LAN cable or optical cable. The patch panel has a function of once relaying the wiring between the client devices, and the connection form between the two can be changed by changing the connection here.

  Patent Document 1 describes an intelligent patch panel system that transmits a mode control signal to a patch panel to set a transfer mode and then supplies a clock signal to check the connection state of the patch panel.

  Patent Document 2 describes a wiring management system in which display light emitting elements are provided in modular jacks of the input side and output side patch panels, respectively, and the modular jack to be connected is indicated by lighting of these display light emitting elements. Yes.

In Patent Document 3, an RF-ID tag in which unique information is recorded is built in a connector portion of a cable with a connector, and a reading circuit component for reading the unique information of the RF-ID tag is arranged in a jack portion embedded in a patch panel or the like. Thus, a connection management method is described in which the connection state between the cable and the jack portion can be grasped.
JP 2004-320090 A JP-A-6-252923 JP 2004-349184 A

  In the form of direct connection between client apparatuses, there is a problem that the wiring becomes complicated as the number of apparatuses increases, and the connection form between the two becomes unclear. This problem can be solved a little by interposing a patch panel between the client devices. However, since the change of the connection form between the client devices depends on the change of the physical wiring, it requires labor at the site where the patch panel exists and a human connection error may occur.

  The method described in Patent Documents 1-3 supports the understanding of the wiring and connection form, but after all, the physical wiring is changed to change the connection form between the devices, which requires labor in the field. In addition, it is difficult to change the connection form and check its normality, and it is difficult to provide the user with the connection status in real time.

  An object of the present invention is an intelligent patch panel management control system that can solve the above-mentioned problems, can easily change the connection form between client devices without changing the physical wiring, and can provide the user with the connection status in real time The purpose is to provide.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an optical cross-connect device that functions as a patch panel that is arranged between client devices and relays the wiring between the two, and the client device via the control network. First, connection information between each port of a plurality of ports included in a device and a port of a connection destination device is acquired, and a connection form between the client device and the optical cross-connect device is registered based on the acquired connection information. Display the cross-connect setting screen including the display of the function and the connection form, and control the cross-connect function of the optical cross-connect device based on the user operation on the cross-connect setting screen to connect between the client devices Yu configuration of the connection between the client apparatus set by the second function and the second function of setting the form There is a first feature in that a management control device having a third function of presenting to.

According to the present invention, the client device and the optical cross-connect device are connected by a cable having a connector with an ID tag, and the client device and the optical cross-connect device are connected to the respective ports provided by the client device and the optical cross-connect device. Is connected, the reader for reading the ID of the connector with the ID tag provided in the cable is registered, the correspondence between the ID read by the reader and the port is registered, and the first function of the management control device is , Instead of the connection information, display a connection form registration screen including the function of acquiring and registering the correspondence between ID and port from the client device and the optical cross-connect device, and the correspondence between the acquired ID and port, A connection mode between the client device and the optical cross-connect device based on a user operation on the connection mode registration screen There is a second feature in that it has a function of registering.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the management control device further has a function of confirming the normality of connection between the client device and the optical cross-connect device based on the optical level transmitted through the wiring between the client device and the optical cross-connect device. There is a third feature.

  Furthermore, the present invention provides a function in which the management control device further confirms the normality of the cross-connect between both ports based on the optical level transmitted between the two ports cross-connected in the optical cross-connect device. There is a fourth feature in that it has.

  According to the first to fourth features of the present invention, an optical cross-connect device is used as a patch panel, and the connection form between the client devices is set using the cross-connect function of the optical cross-connect device. It is possible to connect client devices in an arbitrary connection form without changing the target wiring and change the connection. Further, the management control device manages the connection mode between the client device and the optical cross-connect device or between the client devices, so that the connection status can be provided to the user in real time based on this connection mode.

  In addition, with current cross-connect devices, it is not possible to identify the device connected to the port, so there may be a human error at the time of connection or an incorrect operation when cross-connecting. However, according to the first feature, the connection information of each port is acquired from the client device, and the connection form between the client device and the optical cross-connect device is registered based on this connection information. In addition, the cross-connect setting screen including the display of the connection form between the client device and the optical cross-connect device is displayed, and the connection form between the client devices is set on the cross-connect setting screen. Errors in connection setting can be reduced.

  In addition, according to the second feature, a connection form registration screen including a correspondence relationship between IDs and ports acquired from the client apparatus and the optical cross-connect apparatus is displayed, and the client apparatus and the optical cross-connect apparatus are displayed on the connection form registration screen. Since the connection form is registered, errors in the connection form registration can be reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the third and fourth characteristics, it is possible to confirm the normality of the connection between the client device and the optical cross-connect device, the normality of the cross-connect of the optical cross-connect device, and the normality of the link between the client devices. .

  The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of an intelligent patch panel management control system according to the present invention.

  The client devices 1 and 2 are network devices such as L2 switches and routers, and an intelligent patch panel 3 is arranged between the client devices 1 and 2. The intelligent patch panel 3 and the client devices 1 and 2 are connected by optical cables 4 and 5.

  The intelligent patch panel 3 includes an optical cross-connect device, and realizes connection between the client devices 1 and 2 by a cross-connect function. Hereinafter, the intelligent patch panel will be described as an optical cross-connect device.

  The control network 6 is used to perform management control of the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3, and the management control device 7 is arranged in the control network 6. The client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 exchange information with the management control device 7 via the control network 6.

  The management control device 7 acquires the device information of the device to be managed and controlled from the network devices constituting the network, further acquires the connection information from the client device therein, and stores the connection form between the client devices in the database. Processing for registration (connection information registration processing) and processing for confirming normality of connection between the client device and the optical cross-connect device (connection normality confirmation processing) are executed.

  In the connection information registration process, the management control device 7 first searches for a device to be managed and controlled from among the network devices constituting the network from the setting file. As a result, the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 are searched.

  Next, the management control device 7 acquires device information from the searched client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 via the control network 6, and further receives connection information of each interface from the client devices 1 and 2. Acquire and identify the connectivity between the client apparatuses 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect apparatus 3 based on the acquired information. This connectivity identification result is registered in the database in the management control device 7 as connection information between the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3.

  The connection information registered in the database in the management control device 7 can be appropriately displayed on the screen according to the user's request, thereby providing the user with a real-time connection status.

  As the connection information of each interface acquired from the client device to identify the connectivity between the client device and the optical cross-connect device, connection information (Description) added for each interface of the client device can be used. . This connection information (Description) is defined below.

  "Host name of client device_Interface name used_Device name of connection destination_Port name of connection destination"

  For example, in the example of FIG. 1, if the host names of the client devices 1 and 2 are node1 and node2, respectively, and the device name of the optical cross-connect device 3 is pxc, the connection information acquired from the client device 1 is “node1_1_pxc_2” Thus, the connection information acquired from the client device 2 is “node2_1_pxc_9”.

  In the connection normality confirmation process, the management control device 7 confirms whether the connection between the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 is normal based on the connection information registered in the database at the optical level. Execute connection normality confirmation processing.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of connection information registration processing in the management control device 7 in the first embodiment. First, the management control device 7 searches for devices (optical cross-connect devices and client devices) to be managed and controlled from network devices registered in the setting file in advance (S21). In the setting file, the IP address of the network device configuring the network and the device type such as the optical cross-connect device / client device are registered. Thereby, in the example of FIG. 1, the client apparatuses 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect apparatus 3 are searched.

  Next, the management control device 7 transmits SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), CLI (Command Line Interface), XML (extensible Markup Language), TL-1 (from the searched client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3). Device information (device name, device address) is acquired using Transaction Language 1) and the like, and is registered in the database in the management control device 7 (S22).

  Next, the management control device 7 acquires connection information of each interface from the client devices 1 and 2 using SNMP, CLI, or XML (S23), analyzes the connectivity based on the acquired information, and the client device The connection information between 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 is registered in the database in the management control device 7 (S24).

  FIG. 3 shows a specific example of the connection information registered in the database in the management control device 7, which corresponds to FIG. The connection information registered in the database in the management control device 7 can be appropriately displayed on the screen according to the user's request, thereby providing the user with a real-time connection status.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the connection normality confirmation process in the management control device 7 in the first embodiment. In the connection normality confirmation processing, based on the connection information registered in the connection information registration processing, it is confirmed at the light level whether or not the two ports that are considered to be connected are actually connected.

  In the connection normality confirmation process between the client device 1 and the optical cross-connect device 3, the management control device 7 first collects optical level information from the optical cross-connect device 3 (S41). This can be performed by acquiring optical level information on the input side from the optical cross-connect device 3 using SNMP, CLI, XML, TL-1, or the like. At this time, the port of the client device 1 is closed, and no light is inserted from the client device 1 side, so the light level information is 0 dB.

  Next, the management control device 7 requests the client device 1 to open the port using SNMP, CLI, XML, TL-1, or the like, that is, to insert light from the port (S42). The client device 1 inserts light from the port according to this request, and the management control device 7 collects light level information on the input side of the optical cross-connect device 3 (S43). At this time, since light is inserted from the client device 1, the normality of connection between the client device 1 and the port of the optical cross-connect device 3 can be confirmed based on the collected light level information.

  If the connection normality is confirmed, the management control device 7 requests the client device 1 to close the port, that is, shut down the light from the port (S44). The client device 1 shuts down the light from the port according to this request.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the intelligent patch panel management control system according to the present invention. 2 that are the same as or equivalent to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the second embodiment, a cable having a connector with an RF (Radio Frequency) -ID tag, that is, a cable having a connector having ID information, is used as a cable for connecting the client device and the optical cross-connect device. is there. Here, the ID information is information arbitrarily given to identify each connector.

  In FIG. 5, the port 1 of the client device 1 and the port 2 of the optical cross-connect device 3 are connected by a cable 4 having connectors with IDs “111” and “222”, and the port 1 of the client device 2 and the optical cross-connect The ports 9 of the connecting device 3 are connected by a cable 5 having a connector with IDs “444” and “333”.

  Each port of the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 is provided with a reader capable of reading the ID information of the ID tag. The reader is connected to the optical cables 4 and 5 with the RF-ID tag. At that time, the ID information is read. The ID information read in this way is registered in the database in each device in association with the port information.

  In the connection information registration process, the management control device 7 acquires device information from the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 via the control network 6. In addition, the management control device 7 requests the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 to transfer the port information and ID information registered in the database, and the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 Transfers the port information and ID information to the management control device 7 in accordance with this request.

  The management control device 7 receives device information, pouch information and ID information transferred from the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3, and uses the installed GUI to connect the client devices 1 and 2 to the optical cross-connect device. The connection information between the devices 3 is registered in the database in the management control device 7.

  In addition, the management control device 7 executes a connection normality confirmation process. Since this connection normality confirmation process is the same as in the first embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of connection information registration processing in the management control device 7 in the second embodiment. When an optical cable with an RF-ID tag is connected to the port of the client device 1, 2 or the optical cross-connect device 3, the ID information of the ID tag is read by the reader of each port at that time, and the ID read by this Information is registered in a database in each device together with port information.

  In this state, the management control device 7 first searches for devices (optical cross-connect devices and client devices) to be managed and controlled from network devices registered in the setting file in advance (S61). Thereby, in the example of FIG. 6, the client apparatuses 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect apparatus 3 are searched.

  Next, the management control device 7 acquires device information (device name, device address), port information, and ID information from the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 searched in S61, and the management control device 7 Is registered in the database (S62).

  FIG. 7 shows specific examples of device information (device name), port information (port identification number), and ID information (ID) registered in the database in the management control device 7, which corresponds to FIG. . Here, the device names of the client devices 1 and 2 are node1 and node2, respectively, and the device name of the optical cross-connect device 3 is PXC.

  The management control device 7 can execute the connection form registration process based on the device information, port information, and ID information registered in the database. In other words, when two connected ports are selected on the connection form registration screen displayed by the GUI implemented in the management control device 7, the connection form between the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 Is registered in the database in the management control device 7 (S63).

  FIG. 8 shows a specific example of the connection form registration screen. On this screen, device names, port information, and ID information of various devices under management control of the management control device 7 are displayed. Note that ports for which connection forms have already been registered are not displayed. The connection form registration is executed by pressing a registration button after the user selects a port that is actually connected on the connection form registration screen. For example, the registration of the connection form that "node1, port 1, ID111" and "PXC, port 2, ID222" are connected is the line "node1, port 1, ID111" and "PXC, port 2, ID222" This is executed by selecting the line and pressing the registration button.

  FIG. 9 shows a specific example of the connection form registered in the database in the management control device 7, and the form in which “node1, port 1, ID111” and “PXC, port 2, ID222” are connected is “node1 (device Name), 1 (port), 111 (ID), PXC (device name), 2 (port), 222 (ID) ". The connection form registered in the database in the management control device 7 can be appropriately displayed on the screen according to the user's request, thereby providing the user with a real-time connection status.

  The procedure of the connection normality confirmation process in the management control device 7 is the same as that in the first embodiment. That is, when the normality of connection between the client device 1 and the optical cross-connect device 3 is checked, the management control device 7 first transmits the light from the optical cross-connect device 3 in a state where no light is inserted from the client device 1 side. Collect level information (0dB).

  Next, the management control device 7 requests the client device 1 to open a port. The client device 1 inserts light from the port according to this request, and the management control device 7 collects light level information on the input side of the optical cross-connect device 3. At this time, since light is inserted from the client device 1, the normality of the actual connection between the client device 1 and the optical cross-connect device 3 can be confirmed based on the collected light level information.

  If the connection normality can be confirmed, the management control device 7 requests the client device 1 to close the port, and the client device 1 shuts down the light from the port according to this request.

  In the present invention, since the optical cross connector device 3 is used as an intelligent patch panel, the management control device 7 manages and controls the cross connect function of the optical cross connector device 3, without changing the physical wiring. It is possible to change the connection between arbitrary ports between client devices, and to display and manage the connection state.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a management control mode of the optical cross connector device 3 by the management control device 7. 10 that are the same as or equivalent to those in FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the cross-connect control operation in the management control device 7.

  The management control device 7 uses the GUI implemented in the management control device 7 to display the cross-connect setting screen, whether the client devices 1 and 2 are normally connected according to the input operation by the user and the link is established. Whether the result is registered as cross-connect information in the database in the management control device 7.

  FIG. 12 shows a specific example of a cross-connect setting screen displayed using a GUI implemented in the management control device 7, and FIGS. 12A and 12B show the first embodiment and the second embodiment, respectively. 6 shows a cross-connect setting screen displaying connection information registered in a database in the management control device 7 according to a form.

  In this cross-connect setting screen, when the user selects a device and a port to be connected on the GUI (S111) and presses the registration button, the management control device 7 sends an SNMP, CLI, XML, TL to the optical cross-connect device 3. -1 or the like is used to request a cross-connect (S112), and the optical cross-connect device 3 sets the cross-connect according to the cross-connect request from the management control device 7.

  Next, normality confirmation processing is started to determine whether the client apparatuses 1 and 2 are normally connected and a link is established. In this normality confirmation process, first, the management control device 7 requests the client devices 1 and 2 to open a port (S113).

  The client devices 1 and 2 insert light from the port according to this request. The management control device 7 checks the normality of the cross-connect of the optical cross-connect device 3 based on the light inserted from the client devices 1 and 2 side (S114). This confirmation can be executed by confirming whether or not there is optical input / output between the two cross-connected ports in the optical cross-connect device 3.

  Next, the management control device 7 confirms the normality of the link (S115). Here, as in the first and second embodiments, it is possible to confirm based on the optical level information of the input / output light between the client apparatuses 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect apparatus 3.

  If the normality of the link can be confirmed, the management control device 7 requests the client devices 1 and 2 to close the port (S116), and the client devices 1 and 2 shut down the light from the ports according to this request. As described above, the normality of the cross-connect in the optical cross-connect device 3 and the normality of the connection between the client devices 1 and 2 and the optical cross-connect device 3 can be confirmed. You can check if the connection has been established.

  The management control device 7 registers the cross-connect information confirmed as described above in the database in the management control device 7 (S117).

  FIG. 13 shows a specific example of cross-connect information registered in the database in the management control device 7, and FIGS. 13A and 13B correspond to the first embodiment and the second embodiment, respectively. .

  In FIG. 13A, a link is set via the port 1 of the client device 1 (node 1) —the port 2 of the optical cross-connect device 3—the port 9 of the optical cross-connect device 3—the port 1 of the client device 2 (node 2). 13B, the port 1 (ID111) of the client device 1 (node1) −the port 2 (ID222) of the optical cross-connect device 3−the port 9 (ID333) of the optical cross-connect device 3−the client device 2 ( It can be seen that the link for port 1 (ID444) of node2) is set.

  Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be variously modified. For example, in the above embodiment, only one connection system is shown, but the present invention can be applied to a larger number of connection systems, in which case the management control device collectively manages those connection systems. Also good.

It is a block diagram which shows 1st Embodiment of the intelligent patch panel management control system which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the connection information registration process in the management control apparatus in 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of the connection information registered into a database. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the connection normality confirmation process in the management control apparatus in 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows 2nd Embodiment of the intelligent patch panel management control system which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the connection information registration process in the management control apparatus in 2nd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of the apparatus information registered in the database in a management control apparatus, port information, and ID information. It is a figure which shows the specific example of a connection form registration screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of the connection form registered into the database in a management control apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the management control form of the optical cross connector apparatus by a management control apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the cross-connect control operation | movement in a management control apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of a cross-connect setting screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of the cross-connect information registered into the database in a management control apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1,2 ... Client device, 3 ... Intelligent patch panel (optical cross-connect device), 4,5 ... Optical cable, 6 ... Control network, 7 ... Management control device

Claims (4)

An optical cross-connect device that is arranged between client devices and functions as a patch panel that relays the wiring between the two,
The client device acquires connection information between each port of the plurality of ports included in the client device and the port of the connection destination device via a control network, and the client device and the optical cross are acquired based on the acquired connection information. A first function for registering a connection form between connect devices, a display of the connection form and a cross-connect setting screen are displayed, and the cross of the optical cross-connect device is based on a user operation on the cross-connect setting screen. Management control apparatus having a second function for controlling a connection function to set a connection form between the client apparatuses and a third function for presenting a connection form between client apparatuses set by the second function to a user Intelligent patch panel management control system characterized by comprising The client device and the optical cross-connect device are connected by a cable having a connector with an ID tag,
The optical cross-connect device and said client devices, when they are connected to the cable to each port with each includes a reader for reading the ID ID of tagged connector with the said cable, read by said reader Register the correspondence between ID and port,
The first function of the management control device includes a function of acquiring and registering a correspondence relationship between an ID and a port from the client device and the optical cross-connect device instead of the connection information, and a correspondence relationship between the acquired ID and the port. A connection form registration screen including the function, and a function of registering a connection form between the client device and the optical cross-connect device based on a user operation on the connection form registration screen. The intelligent patch panel management control method according to 1.   The management control device further has a function of confirming a normality of connection between the client device and the optical cross-connect device based on an optical level transmitted through a wiring between the client device and the optical cross-connect device. Or the intelligent patch panel management control system of 2.   The management control device further has a function of confirming normality of cross-connect between both ports based on an optical level transmitted between two ports cross-connected in the optical cross-connect device. The intelligent patch panel management control system according to claim 1 or 2.

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