JP5342124B2 - Communication device and communication control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device that relays communication data and a communication control program for operating the communication device.

  Conventionally, as a technique for activating various communication devices at a time desired by a user, one described in Patent Document 1 below is known. In this technology, when a timer is installed in a communication device and a restart time (Reboot Timer value) is set in the timer by the user, the restart time (Reboot Timer value) is 0 (step S101: YES). The communication apparatus is immediately restarted (rebooted) (step S104). On the other hand, when the restart time (Reboot Timer value) is set longer than 0 (step S101: No), it is determined whether the remaining number of seconds (Time Left value) is 0 seconds (step S102). . If the remaining number of seconds is not 0 seconds (step S102: No), the remaining number of seconds (Time Left value) is calculated to be counted down (step S103). In step S102, the remaining number of seconds (Time Left value) is calculated. ) Is 0 second, the communication apparatus is restarted in step S104.

  Such a communication device, for example, needs to be constantly operating, such as a LAN switch or a wireless access point. For example, a non-working time such as a night time is not restarted during business hours. Is restarting.

  However, since the CPU is configured to count down the remaining number of seconds (Time Left value) measured by the timer in the communication device described above, the CPU restarts after setting the restart time. Before the time comes, the load on the CPU increases and a delay may occur in the process of counting down the time. In such a case, a difference occurs between the desired restart time of the communication device and the time when the timer time is actually 0 and the communication device is restarted. Therefore, the conventional communication device cannot be restarted at an accurate time.

  Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to restart a communication apparatus at an accurate time.

The present invention relays data by being connected to a plurality of terminals that need to be always connected to a network by a communication device, receives data and transfers the received data, and the communication A setting changing means for changing the operation setting of the means, and a restarting means for restarting the communication device at a time designated by the setting changing means when the operation setting of the communication means is changed by the setting changing means. When the time counting means for counting the remaining time counts down the reboot timer value representing the elapsed time until the restart of the communication device by restarting means, the remaining time being clocked by the clock means, standard time a time synchronization unit for correcting according to the time synchronization means, target when updating the communication program the communication unit is performed in order to operate If the first elapsed time from the time to the current standard time and the second elapsed time obtained by subtracting the remaining time updated by the time measuring means from the time until the restart match, do not match The remaining time is corrected so that the second elapsed time matches the first elapsed time, and the restarting means is corrected according to the standard time by the time synchronizing means and based on the remaining time timed by the time measuring means. The communication device is restarted.

  According to the present invention, since the communication apparatus is restarted based on the time information corrected according to the standard time, the communication apparatus can be restarted at an accurate time.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The present invention is applied to, for example, a LAN switch 1 (communication device) in a communication system as shown in FIG. In this communication system, a plurality of terminals 2 communicate with a network NW via a LAN switch 1.

  The LAN switch 1 relays communication data with which the terminal 2 communicates via the network NW. Although not shown in FIG. 1, it goes without saying that a router, a gateway, or the like may be provided between the LAN switch 1 and the network NW.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the LAN switch 1 includes a communication control unit 11, a reboot timer 12 for restarting the LAN switch 1, a timer left value holding unit 13 for holding a timer left value for restarting, a communication And a table storage unit 14 referred to by the communication control unit 11 when data is relayed.

  The communication control unit 11 stores, in a memory (not shown), a communication program 11a that executes processing for relaying communication data, a reboot program 11b that restarts the LAN switch 1, and a time synchronization program 11c that corrects the timer left value. Then, the program is executed by a CPU or RAM (not shown).

  The table storage unit 14 stores an address table in which the MAC address of the terminal 2 is registered. The LAN switch 1 includes a plurality of ports P1 to P6 with port numbers “1” to “6” to which the terminal 2 is connected directly or indirectly, and port numbers on the network NW side from “7” to “6”. 12 ”ports P7 to P12. The LAN switch 1 refers to the address table stored in the table storage unit 14 and controls whether packets transmitted and received by the terminal 2 can be communicated between the ports P1 to P6 and the ports P7 to P12. (Communication means). In this description, the port connected to the network NW side is distinguished from the port connected to the terminal 2 by the port number. However, in practice, no matter how the network NW and the terminal 2 are connected. good.

  Such processing by executing the communication program 11a can include not only processing for relaying communication data with reference to the address table in the table storage unit 14, but also any known processing necessary for the LAN switch 1. . The contents of this communication program 11a are updated in order to update the operation of the LAN switch 1.

  The update process of the communication program 11a, that is, the operation setting of the LAN switch 1, is not performed using dedicated hardware, but is performed by a command transmitted from the terminal 2 connected to the LAN switch 1 (setting changing unit). When the update process of the communication program 11a is performed, the LAN switch 1 needs to reflect the update by restarting.

  The reboot program 11b and the time synchronization program 11c function as a communication control program that updates the LAN switch 1 and then restarts it.

  The reboot program 11b performs an operation to restart the LAN switch 1 at a time designated by the update process of the communication program 11a when the operation setting of the LAN switch 1 is changed by the update process of the communication program 11a. (Restart means) The restart time designated by the communication control unit 11 is an elapsed time (reboot timer value) from when the communication program 11a is updated to when it is restarted.

  The time synchronization program 11c performs processing for correcting the remaining time information (timer left value = reboot timer value−elapsed time) updated by the operation of the reboot timer 12 (time measuring means) in accordance with the standard time (System time value) ( Time synchronization means). The time synchronization program 11c has a first elapsed time from the standard time when the communication program 11a is updated to the current standard time, and a second elapsed time obtained by subtracting the remaining time from the time until restart. Is determined to match, and if not, the remaining time is corrected so that the second elapsed time matches the first elapsed time.

  The communication control unit 11 always calculates an accurate time by executing the time synchronization program 11c. As shown in FIG. 1, the LAN switch 1 accesses an SNTP (Simple Network Time Protocol) server 3 via a network NW in the process of calculating the accurate time. And the communication control part 11 functions as an SNTP client connected by communication with the SNTP server 3 which clocks standard time by executing the time synchronous program 11c. The communication control unit 11 synchronizes the remaining time updated by the reboot timer 12 with the standard time measured by the SNTP server 3.

  The reboot timer 12 updates time information for restarting the LAN switch 1 by the reboot program 11b (time measuring means). Specifically, a pulse signal for counting down the remaining time until the LAN switch 1 is restarted is supplied to the communication control unit 11 by executing the reboot program 11b.

  When the pulse signal from the reboot timer 12 is input, the communication control unit 11 updates the remaining time (timer left value) until the restart time is executed by executing the time synchronization program 11c. The timer left value is corrected according to the standard time by the time synchronization program 11c.

  The timer left value holding unit 13 stores the remaining time (timer left value) until the LAN switch 1 is restarted based on the timer left value updated by the reboot timer 12 and corrected according to the standard time by the communication control unit 11.

  In such a LAN switch 1, when the timer left value stored in the timer left value holding unit 13 becomes 0 by the reboot program 11 b of the communication control unit 11, the communication control unit 11 restarts the LAN switch 1. At this time, the LAN switch 1 restarts the communication control unit 11 by supplying a reset pulse to the communication control unit 11. As a result, the communication control unit 11 can subsequently perform processing reflecting the updated contents.

  In this LAN switch 1, the time to restart the LAN switch 1 may be designated as an absolute time. In this case, the time information updated by the reboot timer 12 is set as absolute time information. The process for setting the restart time to the absolute time is set as an option of the LAN switch 1. Thereby, it is not necessary to calculate the time until the time when the LAN switch 1 is to be restarted, and the setting for restarting the LAN switch 1 can be simplified.

  Next, a processing procedure for restarting the LAN switch 1 by the LAN switch 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The LAN switch 1 is supplied with various commands from the terminal 2 for the user to update the LAN switch 1. The LAN switch 1 stores setting change information for updating the communication program 11 a according to the command supplied from the terminal 2. The LAN switch 1 is set with a reboot timer value indicating the elapsed time from the current time to the time when the terminal 2 reflects the setting change information in the communication program 11a. This reboot timer value can be set in the range of 1 second to 86400 seconds (1 day), for example.

  When the reboot timer value is set by the reboot program 11b, the communication control unit 11 determines whether or not the reboot timer value is 0 in step S1. When the reboot timer value is 0, it is determined that the LAN switch 1 is immediately restarted. In step S8, the LAN switch 1 is restarted by the reboot program 11b, and the process is terminated. On the other hand, when a value greater than 0 is set as the reboot timer value, the communication control unit 11 advances the process to step S2.

  In step S <b> 2, the communication control unit 11 executes the reboot program 11 b to determine whether or not the SNTP function serving as the SNTP client that is connected to the SNTP server 3 is operating. The communication control unit 11 proceeds to step S3 when the SNTP function is set to “valid”, and proceeds to step S6 when the SNTP function is set to “invalid”. The setting process of whether the SNTP function is valid or invalid may be set by determining whether or not the communication control unit 11 is connected to the SNTP server 3 and is in a communication environment in which the SNTP function can be used. It is set depending on whether or not the LAN switch 1 is to be rebooted at a certain time.

  When the SNTP function is not operating because the setting of the SNTP function is “invalid”, in step S6, it is determined by the reboot program 11b of the communication control unit 11 whether the timer left value has become 0 seconds. To do. If the timer left value is not 0 seconds, the timer left value is calculated in step S7 by the reboot program 11b of the communication control unit 11. At this time, the reboot program 11b of the communication control unit 11 counts down the reboot timer value by the pulse signal from the reboot timer 12, and updates the timer left value. That is, the timer left value is the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time from the start of the process of counting down the reboot timer value from the reboot timer value.

  When the timer left value becomes 0, the process proceeds from step S6 to step S8, and the LAN switch 1 is restarted by the reboot program 11b of the communication control unit 11.

  When the setting of the SNTP function is “valid” and the SNTP function is operating, in step S3, the time synchronization program 11c of the communication control unit 11 determines whether or not the timer left value is 0 second. If the timer left value is not 0 seconds, the time synchronization program 11c of the communication control unit 11 obtains standard time information (System time value) from the SNTP server 3 by the SNTP function in Step S4.

  In the next step S5, the remaining time information (timer left value = reboot timer value−elapsed time) updated by the operation of the reboot timer 12 by the time synchronization program 11c of the communication control unit 11 is changed to the standard time (System time value). ) To perform the correction process. This elapsed time is the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time from the start of the process of counting down the reboot timer value from the time obtained by the SNTP function held by the reboot program 11b.

  The time synchronization program 11c has a first elapsed time from the standard time when the communication program 11a is updated to the current standard time, and a second elapsed time obtained by subtracting the remaining time from the time until restart. Is determined to match, and if not, the remaining time is corrected so that the second elapsed time matches the first elapsed time.

  Steps S3 to S5 are repeated until the timer left value reaches 0 seconds. When the timer left value reaches 0 seconds, the LAN switch 1 is restarted by the reboot program 11b of the communication control unit 11 in step S8.

  When the absolute time is set as the reboot timer value, the LAN switch 1 compares the current time with the absolute time as the reboot timer value, and the current time becomes the absolute time as the reboot timer value. When it reaches, the LAN switch 1 is restarted. At this time, if it is determined in step S3 in the process of FIG. 3 that the current time counted by the reboot timer 12 has not reached the absolute time as the reboot timer value, the absolute time is sent from the SNTP server 3 in step S4. In step S5, the absolute time in the communication control unit 11 is corrected to the absolute time acquired from the SNTP server 3.

  As described above, according to the LAN switch 1 to which the present invention is applied, the LAN switch 1 cannot be restarted immediately at the time of setting change or update as in the situation where the terminal 2 needs to be always connected to the network NW. In addition, it is possible to restart at an accurate time corresponding to the reboot timer value. Therefore, according to the LAN switch 1, the processing load of the CPU that realizes the communication control unit 11 is high during the period from the time when the reboot timer value is set to the time when the LAN switch 1 is restarted. Even when the time becomes inaccurate, the LAN switch 1 can be restarted at an accurate time by correcting the remaining time. Thereby, according to this LAN switch 1, even if the restart is restricted and it is necessary to restart the LAN switch 1 at an accurate time, the LAN switch 1 is restarted at an accurate time. The system can be restarted automatically at the correct time without relying on security personnel.

  Further, according to the LAN switch 1, by setting the absolute time for restarting the LAN switch 1 as the reboot timer value, the user can easily set the restart time for the LAN switch 1, It is not necessary to calculate the remaining time until the time when the LAN switch 1 is restarted, and the processing load on the CPU that realizes the communication control unit 11 can be reduced.

  The above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention. For this reason, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made depending on the design and the like as long as the technical idea according to the present invention is not deviated from this embodiment. Of course, it is possible to change.

  That is, the communication apparatus and the communication control program according to the present invention have been described as being applied to the LAN switch 1 as an example.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the communication system containing the LAN switch to which this invention is applied. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the LAN switch to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which restarts by the LAN switch to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which restarts a LAN switch conventionally.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 LAN switch 2 Terminal 3 SNTP server 11 Communication control part 11a Communication program 11b Reboot program 11c Time synchronous program 12 Reboot timer 13 Timer left value holding part 14 Table memory | storage part

Claims (4)

The communication device is connected to a plurality of terminals that need to be constantly connected to the network and relays data,
A communication means for receiving data and transferring the received data;
Setting changing means for changing the operation setting of the communication means;
Restarting means for restarting the communication device at a time designated by the setting change means when the operation setting of the communication means is changed by the setting change means;
Clocking means for counting down a reboot timer value representing an elapsed time until the communication device is restarted by the restarting means, and counting the remaining time ;
A time synchronization means for correcting the remaining time measured by the time measuring means according to a standard time,
The time synchronization means is updated by the time measuring means from the first elapsed time from the standard time when the communication program executed for operating the communication means to the current standard time and the time until restart. Determining whether or not the second elapsed time obtained by subtracting the remaining remaining time matches, and if not, correct the remaining time so that the second elapsed time matches the first elapsed time,
The said restarting means restarts the said communication apparatus based on the remaining time which is correct | amended according to standard time by the said time synchronization means, and is timed by the said time measuring means. The time synchronization means functions as a client connected to a server that counts the standard time , and synchronizes the remaining time counted by the time counting means by using the standard time measured by the server. The communication apparatus according to claim 1.   The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the restarting unit specifies a time at which the communication device is restarted as an absolute time. A communication control program stored in a computer of a communication device that is connected to a plurality of terminals that need to be constantly connected to a network and relays data,
A communication function for receiving data and transferring the received data;
A setting change function for changing the operation setting of the communication means;
A restart function for restarting the communication device at a time specified by the setting change function when an operation setting of the communication function is changed by the setting change function;
A timekeeping function that counts down a reboot timer value representing an elapsed time until the communication device is restarted by the restart function, and counts the remaining time ;
A time synchronization function for correcting the remaining time measured by the time measurement function according to a standard time,
The time synchronization function is updated by the time measuring function from the first elapsed time from the standard time when the communication program executed for operating the communication function to the current standard time and the time until restart. Determining whether or not the second elapsed time obtained by subtracting the remaining remaining time matches, and if not, correct the remaining time so that the second elapsed time matches the first elapsed time,
The communication control program, wherein the restart function restarts the communication device based on a remaining time which is corrected according to a standard time by the time synchronization function and timed by the timekeeping function.

Images