JP5392367B2 - Management device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a network system including a thin client.

  In recent years, a system including a thin client (a computer that does not include a storage device or that is prohibited from using a storage device) has attracted attention. In this system, data is collectively managed by a server connected to a network, and data is not held on the thin client side (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-209610 A

  When prohibiting the use of a storage device of a computer, it is necessary for an operator or the like to go to the site where the computer is installed, transfer data to a server, and perform settings for prohibiting the use of the storage device.

  In the future, systems equipped with thin clients are expected to become widespread, so the number of computers to be converted into thin clients is expected to be tens of thousands and installed nationwide. In such a case, if an operator or the like works one by one, the cost and labor become enormous. However, Patent Document 1 does not consider the problem.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a system in which data stored in a terminal can be transferred to a server via a network and a terminal can be quickly converted into a thin client without dispatching workers to the site. .

  In order to solve the above problems, one of the desirable embodiments of the present invention is as follows.

  In a network system in which a management device, a server, and a terminal are connected via a network, the management device collects status information indicating the status of the terminal from the terminal, and a status management unit collects the status information indicating the status of the terminal. And a terminal instructing unit that transmits to the terminal a migration start message for instructing data migration from the terminal to the server based on the status information, and when the terminal receives the migration start message, does the data migrate? A determination unit that determines whether or not to transfer data, a data transmission unit that transmits data to the server, and a data transmission unit that deletes data from the storage device of the terminal when data transmission is completed And a thin client unit that causes the terminal to function as a thin client after erasing data.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a system in which data stored in a terminal can be transferred to a server via a network and a terminal can be quickly converted into a thin client without dispatching an operator to the site.

The figure which shows a network system. The hardware block diagram of a computer. FIG. 3 is a software configuration diagram stored in a storage device of the terminal 3. The software block diagram stored in the memory | storage device of the management apparatus 1. FIG. The figure which shows a transfer management table. The flowchart of the transfer management part 44 of the management apparatus 1. FIG. 4 is a screen example of a display device of the management device 1. The flowchart of the transfer part 34 of the terminal 3. FIG.

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

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network system.

  The network system includes a management apparatus 1, a server 2, and a plurality of terminals 3 (3-1, 3-2), which are connected via a network 4.

  The terminal 3 may be a thin client or a non-thin client (a terminal that can use a storage device). However, only when the terminal 3 is a thin client, it forms a thin client system together with the server 2. Shall. Further, the function of the management apparatus 1 and the function of the server 2 may be realized by the same computer.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a computer (management device 1, server 2, terminal 3, etc.).

  The computer includes a CPU 21, a main memory 22, a storage device 23, a communication device 24, an input / output device (keyboard, mouse, etc.) 25, and a display device 26, which are connected by a communication line 27 such as a bus. When the computer is a thin client, use of the storage device 23 is prohibited or does not exist. Further, the server 2 may not include the display device 26.

  The CPU 21 reads the program stored in the storage device 23 (in the case of a thin client, the program stored in the server 2) into the main storage device 22, and executes various processes. The programs and data described in this embodiment may be stored in the storage device 23 in advance, may be input from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, or downloaded from another device via a network. Also good. Further, the function realized by the program may be realized by dedicated hardware.

  Hereinafter, the program may be described as if it is the subject of action, but it goes without saying that the CPU is actually the subject that executes the program to perform processing.

  FIG. 3 is a software configuration diagram stored in the storage device of the terminal 3.

  The storage device of the terminal 3 includes an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) 31, a driver 32 that controls hardware, a communication control unit 33 that communicates with other devices, and the terminal 3 while exchanging messages with the management device 1. A migration unit 34 that migrates to a thin client, a program such as a general-purpose unit 35 such as a word or spreadsheet, a migration management table 36 that will be described later, and user data 37 such as a file are stored.

  The migration unit 34 includes a data transmission unit 340 that transmits (migrates) data to the server 2, a device control unit 341 that controls devices connected to the terminal 3, and a storage device control unit that controls access to the storage device of the terminal 3. 342, an activation control unit 343 that controls the activation of a program designated by an operator or the like for the general-purpose unit 35, the information acquisition unit 344 that acquires the transition state (55 in FIG. 5) and inventory information of the own terminal, and the network 4 A quality measurement unit 345 that measures the quality of the data, a transition time calculation unit 346 that calculates the time of data migration, a determination unit 347 that performs various judgments such as whether data migration is possible, control of OS and setting information of OS An OS operation unit 348 that performs rewriting and a thin client unit 349 that causes the terminal 3 to function as a thin client.

  Here, the inventory information indicates information related to hardware such as a CPU and a memory, software information, setting information, management information, and the like stored in the terminal. The quality indicates presence / absence of data communication, communication transmission delay time, bandwidth used, throughput, loss, fluctuation, and the like. Examples of the quality measuring unit 345 include Ping and Traceroute. Ping is a program for diagnosing the presence / absence of communication between devices connected to the IP network and measuring the round-trip transmission time of communication data. Traceroute passes through a router device installed between devices connected to the network. It is a program for investigating the route. These programs send data for network measurement and observe the behavior of the data, so-called active measurement methods that measure the quality, capture data flowing through the network, observe the behavior of the data, A so-called passive measurement technique or the like is used to measure the above.

  Note that devices connected to the terminal 3 include devices that can be connected to an external input / output port such as a PCMCIA slot, such as a DVD drive, a CD drive, a RAM drive, an MO drive, and an FD drive.

  About the transfer part 34, it installs beforehand in the terminal which is going to install in the field from now on. However, a terminal that has already been installed is installed by a user operation. For example, installation from a mailed CD-ROM or download from a server can be considered.

  FIG. 4 is a software configuration diagram stored in the storage device of the management apparatus 1.

  The storage device of the management device 1 includes an OS 41, a driver 42, a communication control unit 43, a program such as a migration management unit 44 that manages data migration, and a migration management table 45.

  The migration management unit 44 records the execution status of the migration unit 34 transmitted from the terminal 3 in the migration management table 45, and the status display unit displays the contents of the migration management table 45 on the display device of the management device 1. 442, the terminal instruction unit 443 that gives various instructions to the terminal 3 according to instructions via an input / output device such as an operator, and the number of terminals connected to the server 2 and the upper limit number that can be connected to the server 2 And a terminal number management unit 444 to be managed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the migration management table 36 (or 45).

  The table includes an identifier 50 for uniquely identifying the terminal 3, an installation location 51 indicating the location where the terminal 3 is installed (local government name, building name, latitude / longitude geographical location information, etc.), and the IP of the terminal 3 Self-terminal logical identification information 52 indicating an address and the like, update date and time 53 indicating the date and time when the information was updated, program state 54 indicating the state of the migration unit 34 installed in the terminal 3, and the terminal 3 from a non-thin client to a thin client Transition state 55 indicating the state of the transition process, transition destination logical identification information 56 indicating the IP address of the destination server 2 designated by the operator, transition time 57 indicating the time required for data migration, thin client Switchback availability 58 indicating whether it is possible to return the terminal 3 (or on the way to the thin client) to the non-thin client (if possible, “possible If not possible stores "No"), and the transition start time (date and time indicating a start time of data migration, it retains the number of days and time, etc.) 59 from the execution instruction as a set of information. In the migration management table 36 of the terminal 3, addition and update are performed at any time according to a change in its own state. In addition, in the migration management table 45 of the management apparatus 1, addition / update is performed at any time according to information received from the terminal 3 by the migration management unit 44 via the network 4 or an operation by an operator or the like. The transition start time 59 may be designated by an operator or the like.

  In the program state 54, the transition unit 34 is “not installed” in which the terminal 3 is not installed, “installing” in which the installation is performed, “stopped” in which the installation is not performed, and is installed and executed. There are “execution in progress” that has been executed, and “execution completion” in which the execution has been successfully completed. In addition, the transition state 55 includes “Before transition”, “Transition”, “Cancel”, and “Transition complete” states. In “Transition”, the network quality is measured and the data transition time is calculated. "Transition time is being calculated", data stored in the storage device of the terminal 3 is being copied to the storage device of the server 2, and "data copying" is being performed, and the data stored in the storage device of the terminal 3 is deleted There are states of “data erasing” and “device invalidating” in which the storage device of the terminal 3 and the device connected to the terminal 3 are invalidated. In addition, in “Cancel”, there are “failure” in which data migration is suspended due to some kind of failure in the system, and “failing back” status in which data migration is suspended by returning the terminal to a non-thin client. is there.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the migration management unit 44 of the management apparatus 1.

  The migration management unit 44 first reads the migration management table 45 and files into the main memory 22, and the status display unit 442 displays the read information on the display device (step 61).

  Next, the state management unit 441 collects information of the migration management table 36 of the terminal 3 (step 62), and records the collected information in the migration management table 45 (step 63). At that time, the update date and time 53 is also updated. In step 62, if the information of the terminal 3 cannot be collected, it is determined that the terminal 3 does not have the migration unit 34, and the program state 54 of the migration management table 45 is set to “before installation”.

  Next, the status display unit 442 displays the updated migration management table 45 on the display device of the management device 1 (step 64). Thereafter, when a certain period of time has elapsed (step 65), the process ends. When it has not elapsed, the process returns to step 62.

  FIG. 7 is a screen example of the display device of the management device 1.

  The status display unit 442 sequentially displays information of the migration management table 45. When information is added, deleted, or updated, information on the display screen is added, deleted, or updated sequentially.

  The operator or the like designates a PC whose program status 54 in the migration management table 45 on the display screen is “installing” or “stopped”, and presses the “migration start” button 71.

  When the “migration start” button 71 is pressed, the terminal instruction unit 443 transmits a migration start message (a message for requesting a process start for migrating the terminal 3 from a non-thin client to a thin client) to the terminal 3. When the “switchback” button 72 is pressed, the terminal instruction unit 443 starts a switchback message (processing to return the terminal 3 that has been converted to a thin client or is in the process of moving to a thin client to a non-thin client. Is transmitted to the terminal 3. However, when the number of terminals connected to the server 2 exceeds the upper limit, the terminal number management unit 444 suspends transmission of the migration start message, and transmits the migration start message when the number is less than the upper limit. Alternatively, a message indicating that migration cannot be performed is displayed on the screen, and when migration is possible, a display that prompts the start of migration may be displayed.

  When the “collect status” button 73 is pressed, the terminal instruction unit transmits a status information request message (a message requesting information (status information) indicating the execution status of the transition unit 34 of the terminal 3) to the terminal 3. When the state management unit 441 receives the state information transmitted from the terminal 3 as needed, the “collect state” button may be omitted.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the transition unit 34 of the terminal 3.

  First, the information acquisition unit 344 acquires the transition state of the terminal itself (corresponding to 55 in FIG. 5) and inventory information (step 801). Next, the migration unit 34 waits for a message to arrive from the management apparatus 1 (step 802), and when receiving the message, determines the type of message (step 803). Here, three types of status information request message, migration start message, and failback message are handled.

  When the status information request message is received, the communication control unit 33 transmits the information acquired in step 801 to the management apparatus 1 as a response message (step 804). In this case, since the transition state of the terminal 3 is before transition to the thin client, information indicating “before transition” is transmitted to the management apparatus 1. Thereafter, the process returns to step 802.

  When the migration start message is received, the quality measurement unit 345 measures the network quality between the terminal 3 and the server 2 (step 805). At this time, the information acquisition unit 344 transmits to the management apparatus 1 a response message indicating “in transition (measuring)”. The migration start message includes an IP address of the migration destination server 2, information indicating a location where data to be copied from the terminal 3 to the server 2 is stored, and information indicating a location where the data in the server 2 is stored. Also included are a command program, an interprinter program, a script program, etc., for copying data executable by the CPU on the terminal 3.

  Next, the migration time calculation unit 346 migrates the data stored in the terminal 3 to the server 2 based on the data amount stored in the terminal 3 acquired in step 801 and the network quality information measured in step 805. The transition time (57 in FIG. 5) required for the calculation is calculated (step 806). Then, the determination unit 347 determines whether data can be migrated (step 807).

  As a method for determining whether or not data can be transferred, there is a method based on the calculated transfer time. For example, a threshold value is set in advance, and data is transferred if the threshold value is not exceeded. There is also a method based on time zones. For example, data is transferred during a predetermined time period such as a night time period when business is not performed. If data migration is not performed by a method based on the calculated migration time, steps 805 and 806 are not necessary.

  If it is determined that data is to be transferred, the data transmission unit 340 performs data transfer (step 808). The data transmission unit 340 transmits the data to the server 2, and the CPU of the server 2 stores the data in its own storage device. If it is determined not to transfer data, the process returns to step 802.

  When the transition time is being calculated, the communication control unit 33 transmits a message indicating “shifting (shifting time is being calculated)” to the management apparatus 1. After the transition time is calculated, the data transfer is started. For example, a response message indicating “migrating (data copying)” is transmitted. If data transfer is not performed, a response message indicating “stop (failure)” is transmitted.

  Next, the determination unit 347 confirms that the copied data matches the copy source data, and determines whether or not the copy has been normally completed (step 809). If there is an interruption during the copying process and a mismatch occurs in the checking process after copying, it is considered that a failure has occurred in the migration process, and the migration process is stopped (step 810). The communication control unit 33 transmits a response message indicating “cancel (failure)” to the management apparatus 1 and ends.

  When the data copy is completed normally, the storage device control unit 342 erases the data stored in the storage device in the terminal 3 and performs a write restriction setting for suppressing data writing to the storage device (step 811). ). The communication control unit 33 transmits a response message indicating “migration (data erasing)” to the management apparatus 1.

  Next, the activation control unit 343 inhibits activation of a program stored in the terminal 3 (step 812), and the device control unit 341 inhibits driving of a device connected to the terminal 3 (step 813).

  Next, the thin client unit 349 communicates with the server 2 to cause the terminal 3 to function as a thin client (step 814). Specifically, the use of the OA program or the like that was operating in the terminal 3 is invalidated, and only the screen information of the process that operates on the server 2 is processed as if it is operating on the terminal 3. . Thereafter, when a certain time has passed (step 822), the process is terminated, and when it has not elapsed, the process returns to step 802.

  The communication control unit 33 transmits a message indicating “migration complete” to the management apparatus 1. Thereby, the terminal 3 completes the transition from the non-thin client to the thin client. Thereafter, the process returns to step 802.

  When the switchback message is received, the determination unit 347 determines the state of the terminal 3 (step 815). If the transition state 55 of the transition management table 36 is “transition complete”, the process proceeds to step 816. On the other hand, in the case of “migrating” or “canceled”, the process returns to step 802 to stop the migration process. At this time, the determination unit 347 transmits a message indicating “before migration” to the management apparatus 1.

  Next, the determination unit 347 determines whether or not the terminal 3 can return to the state before the start of the migration process (step 816). Specifically, it is determined whether or not a period during which failback can be performed has elapsed. If yes, the thin client unit 349 stops the processing (step 817). Return.

  Next, the device control unit 341 releases the control inhibition of the device connected to the terminal 3 (step 818), the activation control unit 343 releases the program activation inhibition (step 819), and the storage device control unit 342 The write restriction on the storage device is released (step 820).

  Next, data is copied from the server 2, the copied data is checked (step 821), and the data is returned to the non-thin client before migration. At this time, the communication control unit 33 transmits a message indicating “before migration” to the management apparatus 1. Thereafter, when a certain time has passed (step 822), the process is terminated, and when it has not elapsed, the process returns to step 802.

  Each time a message is transmitted from the terminal 3, the management device 1 updates its own migration management table 45 and displays it on the display device.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Management apparatus, 2 ... Server, 3 ... Terminal, 4 ... Network.

Claims (6)

A management device connected to a server and a plurality of terminals via a network,
Receiving state information indicating the state of the terminal, transmitted from each of the terminals;
Sending a migration start message for migrating data stored in the terminal to the server, designated based on the received status information, and migrating to a thin client,
After the transmission start message is transmitted, when a message is received from the terminal that is the transmission destination of the migration start message, a display according to the message is performed. The management device according to claim 1,
Based on the status information received from each of the terminals, the status of the terminal is displayed,
Accepting the specification of the terminal to be transferred to the thin client by the worker and the instruction to start the transfer to the specified terminal,
The management apparatus that transmits the migration start message to the designated terminal. In the management device according to claim 1 or 2,
Managing the number of terminals connected to the server and the maximum number of terminals that can be connected to the server;
A management apparatus that controls whether or not to transmit the migration start message based on the number of connected terminals and the upper limit number. In the management device according to claim 3,
When there is a terminal that does not transmit the transition start message based on the control of whether to transmit the transition start message or not, a screen display that indicates that the transition is possible Management device characterized by performing. In the management device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Among the terminals that are the transmission destination of the migration start message, an operator designates a terminal that performs a failback process for returning to the state before the start of data migration, and an instruction to start the failback process for the designated terminal. Accepted from
The management device, wherein the switchback processing start request message is transmitted to the designated terminal. In the management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Based on the message received from the terminal, the identifier of each terminal and the status information corresponding to the terminal are associated and managed,
The status information for each terminal to be managed is displayed.

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