JPH10290232A - Packet processing method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce number of relay stages by relay routers while minimizing the increase in entry number of a forwarding table of terminals or a terminal accommodation device accommodating them by building up a logical packet transfer network on a physical transfer network. SOLUTION: In-group address processing servers 14, 24 manage address information in a group and report a set of addresses on a packet transfer network used by the group and addresses on a physical transfer network of packet forwarders 15, 25 to all in-group processing servers 14, 24 via an inter-group address processing server 101 and inform each of terminals 11-1, 11-2,..., 21-1, 21-2,..., terminal accommodation devices 12-1, 12-2,..., 21-1,..., of them and the packet forwarders 15, 25, and packet communication in the group is conducted directly based on the noticed information the packet communication between groups is conducted via the packet forwarders 15, 25 of a destination group denoted in the noticed information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a technology for logically constructing a packet transfer network on a physical transfer network. In particular, a connectionless or ction type physical packet transfer network, physical cell transfer network or physical frame transfer network is used as an infrastructure, and a LAN (Local Area)
Network) and technology for constructing a packet transfer network such as the Internet. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process of associating addresses used in a physical transfer network with addresses used in a packet transfer network logically constructed on the physical transfer network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to construct a LAN or the Internet by connecting a terminal or a terminal accommodating device accommodating the terminal on a physical transfer network, an address for performing packet transfer on the LAN or the Internet is required. It is necessary to know which address on the physical transfer network corresponds (this is called "address resolution"). Such technologies include RFC1 specified in IETF.
CIOA (Classical IP and ARP over 577)
ATM) or MPO specified by ATM Forum
A (Multi-Protocol Over ATM) is known.

In these prior arts, user terminals having the same value in the upper part of the address of the packet transfer network are collected into one group, and an in-group address processing server is installed for each group, and relaying between groups is performed. Install a router. Here, the intra-group address processing server sends, from all the terminals in the group and the relay router,
Information of a set of an address (for example, an IP address) on the packet transfer network and an address on the physical transfer network assigned to each is collected, and information on a set of addresses for all terminals and the relay router in the group is collected. Is generated and distributed to all the terminals in the group and the relay router on demand. In addition, the intra-group address processing server accommodates only the intra-group address information, and when there is an inquiry about the address information of another group, requests the inquiry processing to the intra-group address processing server of the destination group. The in-group address processing server, which has received an inquiry request for address information from another in-group address processing server, performs an inquiry process and returns the result to the transmission source in-group address processing server.

[0004] On the other hand, relay routers can be connected to each other in any form. In order to automatically recognize the connection mode between the relay routers, a routing protocol typified by OSPF is operated to exchange connection configuration information with each other.

When transmission between groups is performed in such a configuration, at the initial stage of packet transfer, a terminal on the transmitting side transfers a packet to a relay router. In this case, this packet is transferred to the destination terminal via several stages of relay routers according to the inter-group connection configuration. In this case, the transferred packet is transferred to the destination terminal via the relay router in several stages according to the inter-group connection configuration. On the other hand, the terminal on the transmitting side transmits an inquiry packet for address information to the destination terminal to the in-group address processing server. This inquiry packet is also transferred to the intra-group address processing server of the destination group via several stages of relay routers. The in-group address processing server of the destination group processes the inquiry packet, and forwards the reply packet to the requesting in-group address processing server again through several stages of relay routers.
Transfer to the sending terminal. After the address information is obtained, the transmitting terminal directly transfers the packet to the destination terminal without passing through the relay router.

[0006]

In the prior art, at the initial stage of packet transfer, packets pass through a relay router in multiple stages depending on the connection configuration between groups. Generally, the packet exchange processing capability of the relay router is often smaller than the packet transmission processing capability of the link between the relay routers. Therefore, it often becomes a bottlenet on the packet transfer path. In addition, in the inter-group connection configuration control using the routing protocol, the path calculation processing often wastes processing resources in the relay router and lowers the packet transfer throughput, and this tendency is further increased. Therefore, the higher the number of relay routers, the lower the packet transfer throughput between terminals.

[0007] Further, while terminals in any group are distributed over a wide area, a relay router for connection between groups is located at one place, so that communication between groups is locally adjacent. In some cases, the communication between the terminals to be connected needs to be performed via a router for connection between groups that is remote. In such a case, the transfer path becomes redundant and the transfer delay sometimes becomes very large. This phenomenon also becomes more remarkable as the number of relay routers is increased.

[0008] On the other hand, after the address information of the destination terminal is obtained, the communication can be performed without passing through the relay router, so that this problem is solved. However, the time required to obtain the address information is considerably longer than the packet transmission time, so that the time taken to solve the problem is long, and in some cases, it does not function effectively.

When a packet is transmitted to a large number of destinations, an address information inquiry packet is frequently transmitted. In this case, the state management load caused by waiting for the replies of the address information inquiry to a large number of destinations increases, which wastes processing resources and lowers the packet transmission throughput at the relay router. .

[0010] In order to solve these problems, it is conceivable to group the entire packet transfer network into a single group so as to eliminate the relay router and eliminate the address information inquiry. However, in this case, it is necessary to individually describe address information of all terminals in the group, that is, all terminals on the packet transfer network, in the forwarding table of the terminal. As a result, when the scale of the packet transfer network increases, the processing load related to the construction and search of the forwarding table also becomes extremely large, processing resources of the terminal are wasted, and the packet transmission throughput decreases.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a packet processing method and apparatus capable of reducing the number of relay stages by a relay router while minimizing an increase in the number of entries in a forwarding table of a terminal. With the goal.

[0012]

A first aspect of the present invention is a packet processing device, comprising a plurality of packet transfer means connected to a physical transfer network for constructing a logical packet transfer network on the physical transfer network. A group is provided for each group of the plurality of packet transfer means, and manages the correspondence between the address on the packet transfer network and the address on the physical transfer network for the packet transfer means in the group as in-group address information. Address processing means, an inter-group transfer means provided for each group and transferring packets between packet transfer means of different groups, and an address for transferring packets between different groups is managed as inter-group address information. In a packet processing apparatus having an inter-group address processing means, The address processing means, based on the intra-group address information managed by the intra-group address processing means of each group, sets of addresses on the packet transfer network used in each group and the set of addresses on the physical transfer network of the inter-group transfer means in the group. Address information notifying means for collecting information of a set with the address of the group and notifying the address processing means within each group as address information between groups, wherein the address processing means within the group includes a packet transfer means within the group and The intra-group address information of each packet transfer means in the group is distributed to the inter-group address processing means in the group, and at least the inter-group information notified to the at least packet transfer means in the group from the inter-group information notification means. Address information for distributing address information The packet transfer means includes a distribution means, and based on the in-group address information and the inter-group address information distributed from the address information distribution means, a packet destined for another packet transfer means in the group is transmitted on the packet transfer network. The packet is directly transferred to the packet transfer means using the address on the physical transfer network corresponding to the destination address, and packets destined for the packet transfer means outside the group are transferred between groups of the group to which the packet transfer means of the destination belongs. Means for transferring to the inter-group transfer means using an address on the physical transfer network of the means, wherein the inter-group transfer means responds to a packet transferred from outside the group by an intra-group address distributed from the address information distribution means. Based on the information,
It is characterized by including means for transferring the packet to the destination packet transfer means using an address on the physical transfer network corresponding to the destination address of the packet on the packet transfer network.

The inter-group transfer means, when a packet is transferred from outside the group, sends an address on the packet transfer network of the destination packet transfer means and an address on the physical transfer network to the originating packet transfer means. Means for notifying an address, and the packet transfer means stores the address on the packet transfer network of the destination packet transfer means and the address on the physical transfer network notified from the inter-group transfer means of another group. It is desirable to include means for directly transferring the packet to the packet transfer means thereafter.

It is desirable that a set of addresses on the packet transfer network be represented by an upper part of the addresses.

At least a part of the plurality of packet transfer means is a terminal accommodating device accommodating one or more terminals, and the terminals accommodated by the terminal accommodating device are respectively assigned addresses on a packet transfer network. In the address information of each terminal accommodated in the device, the address of the terminal on the packet transfer network and the address of the terminal accommodating device accommodating the terminal on the physical transfer network can be recorded.

Each of the plurality of packet transfer means and the inter-group transfer means includes means for notifying the correspondence between the address on the packet transfer network and the address on the physical transfer network to the intra-group address processing means. Means for updating the address information in the group according to the notification of the notifying means, a set of addresses on the packet transfer network used in the group, and an address on the physical transfer network of the inter-group transfer means in the group Means for notifying the inter-group address processing means of the set information, means for updating the inter-group information according to the notification from the inter-group address means, and distributing the updated intra-group address information and inter-group information to the address information. Means for distributing from the means to the group.

A second aspect of the present invention is a packet processing method, in which a logical packet transfer network is constructed by a plurality of packet transfer means connected to a physical transfer network, and each of the plurality of packet transfer means is provided for each group. The correspondence between the address on the packet transfer network and the address on the physical transfer network is managed as intra-group address information by the intra-group address processing means connected to the physical transfer network. A packet processing method in which an address for performing packet transfer between groups different from each other is managed as inter-group address information by an inter-group address processing means, which is performed via inter-group transfer means provided for each group separately from the group. The inter-address processing means includes an intra-group address processing means of each group. From the address information in the group to be managed, information of a set of a set of addresses on the packet transfer network used in each group and an address on the physical transfer network of the inter-group transfer means in the group is collected and collected. This information is notified to each group address processing means as inter-group address information, and the intra-group address processing means respectively sends the packet transfer means in the group and the inter-group address processing means in the group to each packet in the group. Distributing the intra-group address information about the transfer means, and further distributing the inter-group address information notified from the inter-group information notification means to at least the packet transfer means in the group, and the packet transfer means The distributed address information within the group and Based on the inter-group address information, packets destined for other packet transfer means in the group are transferred directly to the packet transfer means using the address on the physical transfer network corresponding to the destination address on the packet transfer network. The packet destined for the packet transfer means outside the group is transferred to the inter-group transfer means using the physical transfer network address of the inter-group transfer means of the group to which the destination packet transfer means belongs. Is used for a packet transferred from outside the group, based on the in-group address information distributed by the address information distribution means, using the physical transfer network address corresponding to the destination address of the packet on the packet transfer network. The packet is transferred to the packet transfer means.

The inter-group transfer means, when a packet is transferred from outside the group, sends the address of the destination packet transfer means on the packet transfer network and the address on the physical transfer network to the originating packet transfer means. Notify the address and
The packet transfer means stores the address of the destination packet transfer means on the packet transfer network and the address on the physical transfer network notified from the inter-group transfer means of another group, and stores the address for the subsequent packet transfer means. It is desirable to perform packet transfer directly to the packet transfer means.

That is, according to the present invention, in connection with inter-group connection, inter-group address processing means is provided between groups instead of a relay router, and inter-group transfer means is provided within a group. Here, the intra-group address processing means performs, in addition to the same processing as in the past, a set of addresses on the packet transfer network of all terminals in the group and the inter-group transfer means, and a set of addresses of the physical transfer network. Information is generated, and this information is notified to the inter-group address processing means. The inter-group address processing means collects the notified information and distributes it to all intra-group address processing means. The intra-group address processing means also distributes address information distributed from the inter-group address processing server to all packet transfer means and inter-group transfer means.

Further, when the inter-group transfer means receives a packet from a packet transfer means outside the group, it transfers this packet to a destination packet transfer means within the group and transmits the packet to the outgoing side packet transfer means outside the group. It is desirable to notify the pair information of the address on the packet transfer network of the destination packet transfer means in the group and the address on the physical transfer network. This is hereinafter referred to as “redirection notification”. At this time, it is desirable that the packet transfer unit adds a transfer destination entry based on the address information received from the inter-group transfer unit.

In the present invention, by providing an inter-group address processing means between groups, it is possible to notify other group of address information of the group. However,
In this case, the relay router can be omitted, but the address information to be managed by the packet transfer means is enlarged. Therefore, an inter-group transfer unit is provided within a group. As a result, it is possible to notify other groups in a form in which the address information of the group is aggregated. Therefore, the packet transfer means does not need to individually manage the address information relating to the packet transfer means of another group, and manages the information in an aggregated manner for each group.

However, since the physical transfer network address of the inter-group transfer means of the destination group is described in the address information between the groups, direct communication cannot be performed between the terminals. Is performed via only one stage. However, the number of relay stages does not increase any more.

Further, since the inter-group transfer means can obtain the address information from the intra-group address processing means, there is no need to perform a route calculation process due to the routing protocol. Therefore, while the increase in the address information of the packet transfer means is suppressed to a minimum, the number of relay stages by the inter-group transfer means is reduced, and the processing capability of the inter-group transfer means is improved.

The inter-group transfer means notifies the originating packet transfer means of a redirection, and the originating packet transfer means receives this and updates the address information managed by itself, so that the packet transfer means is again the same. When transferring a packet to a destination, an address on the physical transfer network of the packet transfer means of the destination can be obtained by searching address information managed by itself. Therefore, it is possible to directly communicate with the destination packet transfer unit without using the inter-group transfer unit. In addition, since the packet transfer unit on the calling side does not need to make an inquiry about the address information and only receives the redirection notification unilaterally, it does not need to perform the state management. Therefore, the ratio of communication not via the relay router can be efficiently increased.

[0025]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example in which a packet transfer network for performing packet transfer according to an Internet protocol (IP) is constructed on a physical transfer network. This packet transfer network
A plurality of IP terminals 11 connected to the physical transfer network 100 and constructing a logical packet transfer network on the physical transfer network 100
-1, 11-2,... 21-1,.
, 22-1,..., 22-1,..., And the terminal accommodation device 12-1 accommodates the IP terminals 13-1, 13-2,. 22-1 ... also accommodate one or more IP terminals (not shown). IP terminal 11-1, 11-2,..., Terminal accommodation devices 12-1, 12
, And IP terminals 13-1, 13-2,... Constitute one group, and IP terminals 21-1, 21-2,.
.., The terminal accommodating devices 22-1,. In each group, the in-group address processing servers 14 and 24 that manage the correspondence between the address on the packet transfer network and the address on the physical transfer network 100 for the IP terminals and terminal accommodation devices in the group as in-group address information. And packet forwarders 15 and 25 for transferring packets between IP terminals or terminal accommodation devices in different groups. Further, an inter-group address processing server 101 that manages an address for performing packet transfer between different groups as inter-group address information is provided.

FIG. 2 shows an intra-group address processing server 1.
4 and 25, FIG. 3 shows the flow of processing by the inter-group address processing server 101, and FIG.
, 21-1,..., FIG. 5 shows the terminal accommodation devices 12-1, 12-2,.
-1,..., FIG. 6 shows the flow of processing by the packet forwarder.

Intra-group address processing servers 14 and 25
Is the IP address assigned to each or the terminal accommodated in each of the IP terminals or terminal accommodation devices in the group and the packet forwarder, and the address on the physical transfer network 100 (hereinafter referred to as the “physical transfer network address”). "), And distributes this information to all IP terminals, terminal accommodation devices, and packet forwarders in the group. Also, from this information, a set of a set of IP addresses of all IP terminals and packet forwarders in the group and a physical transfer network address of the packet forwarder is generated, and this information is sent to the inter-group address processing server 101. Notice. Further, from the inter-group address processing server, for all other groups, the IP addresses of all IP terminals and packet
A set of P addresses and a set of packet transferer physical transfer network addresses (inter-group address information) are collected and distributed to all IP terminals, terminal accommodation devices, and packet forwarders in the group.

The inter-group address processing server, from the intra-group address processing servers of all the groups, collects, for each group, a set of IP addresses of all IP terminals and packet forwarders in the group, and a physical transfer network address of the packet forwarder. Is collected, and this information is distributed to all intra-group address processing servers as inter-group address information.

The IP terminal, the terminal accommodating device, and the packet forwarder notify the group address processing server of the information on the set of the IP address assigned to the own or the accommodated IP terminal and the address of the physical transfer network of the IP terminal. Then, a forwarding table is constructed based on the address information distributed from the intra-group address processing server.
Then, when transmitting the packet, the packet is transmitted to any of the IP terminals in the group, the terminal accommodation devices in the group, and the packet forwarders outside the group with reference to the forwarding table.

When a packet forwarder receives an IP packet from an IP terminal or a terminal accommodating device outside the group, it forwards the IP packet to a destination IP within the group.
Transfer to the terminal or the terminal accommodating device accommodating the terminal, and also physically transfer the IP address of the destination IP terminal or the destination terminal accommodating device within the group to the originating IP terminal or originating terminal accommodating device outside the group Notify the information of the pair with the network address. The IP terminal and the terminal accommodating device that have received the notification add an entry to the forwarding table based on the notified address information.

[0031]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to a simplified embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example in which an IP network is logically constructed in a wide area physical network. The physical transfer network 30 includes an inter-group address processing server 31, IP terminals 41, 42, 51, 52, an intra-group address processing server 43, 53, and a packet forwarder 4.
4 and 54 are connected, and the IP terminals 41 and 42, the group address processing server 43 and the packet forwarder 44 are connected.
Constitute a group A, IP terminals 51 and 52, an in-group address processing server 53, and a packet forwarder 5.
4 constitute group B. Further, the IP. 1.1, IP. 1.2, I
The P.P. 2.1, IP. 2.
2 are assigned. IP
The terminals 41 and 42 are terminals in the same group, and the upper part of the IP address has the same value (IP.1.1.X). Similarly, in the IP terminals 51 and 52, the upper part of the IP address has the same value (IP.2.X.). Similarly to the IP terminals 41, 42, 51, 52, the packet forwarders 44, 54 are given IP addresses that are aware of the group configuration. Here, the IP. 1.3, packet forwarder 5
4 to IP. It is assumed that 2.3 is given.

Here, since each device also operates as a terminal of the physical transfer network 30, the CORE. 1.
1. , To the packet forwarder 54. 1.2. ,
CORE. 3.1, CO to IP terminal 42
RE. 2.2, CORE. 3.2, IP
CORE. 2.2, CORE. 4.1, CORE. 4.2, CORE. It is assumed that the physical transfer network address of 5.1 is assigned.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a procedure of packet transfer, and FIG. 9 shows some examples of address information stored as a table. A procedure when the IP terminal 41 transfers a packet to the IP terminal 51 in the configuration shown in FIG. 7 will be described.

[Terminal Information Registration] First, the IP terminal 4
1, and the packet forwarder 44 uses the information of the set of the IP address and the physical transfer network address assigned to itself as terminal information,
Notify. Similarly, the IP terminals 51 and 52 and the packet forwarder 54 notify the terminal information to the intra-group address processing server 53. FIG. 9A shows the address information of the IP terminal 51 itself. This address information is notified to the in-group address processing server 43.

[Aggregation of addresses of group A] On the other hand, the intra-group address processing server 43 combines the collected terminal registration information to generate forwarding table information for intra-group communication, and collects all I-addresses in the group.
It generates address information about the P terminal and the packet forwarder. FIG. 9 shows an example of this address information table.
(B).

The intra-group address processing server 43 also generates all of the IP terminals and packet forwarders in the group from the address information shown in FIG. 9B in order to generate forwarding table information for inter-group communication. Information of a set of a set of IP addresses and a physical transfer network address of the packet forwarder is generated. Specifically, in the address information described in the table shown in FIG. 9B, all IP addresses have the same address prefix. This is aggregated into one IP address, and the physical forwarding network address of the packet forwarder is described for this. As a result, the address information shown in FIG. 9C is generated.

[Group B Address Aggregation] Similarly, the intra-group address processing server 53 collects the collected terminal registration information and generates all the IP addresses in the group in order to generate the intra-group communication forwarding table information. In addition to generating address information on the terminal and the packet forwarder, it performs address aggregation for generating forwarding table information for inter-group communication.

[Registration of Group Information of Group A] Thereafter, the intra-group address processing server 43 registers the collected address information as group information in the inter-group address processing server 31.

[Registration of Group Information of Group B] Similarly, the in-group address processing server 53 registers the aggregated address information as group information in the inter-group address processing server 31.

[Addition of entries between groups] Thereafter, the inter-group address processing server 31 compiles the collected inter-group registrations and generates a forwarding table based on the inter-group address information. FIG. 9D shows an example of this table.

[Network Information Distribution] Thereafter, the inter-group address processing server 31 distributes the generated inter-group address information of the table to the intra-group address processing servers 43 and 53 as IP information.

[Addition of Entry of Group A] When the IP information is distributed from the inter-group address processing server 31, the intra-group address processing server 43 adds this to the intra-group address information held by itself. Specifically, the in-group address information shown in FIG. 9B and the inter-group address information shown in FIG.
The forwarding table address information shown in FIG. 9E is generated.

[Addition of group B entries] Similarly, when the IP information is distributed from the inter-group address processing server 31, the intra-group address processing server 53 adds the IP information to its own intra-group address information and adds the IP address to the forwarding table. Generate address information for use.

[Distribution of Table Information of Group A] Thereafter, the intra-group address processing server 43 distributes the generated forwarding table address information to all IP terminals and packet forwarders in the group. In the configuration of FIG. 8, forwarding table address information is distributed to the IP terminals 41 and 42 and the packet forwarder 44. FIG. 9E shows an example of a forwarding table constructed in the IP terminal 41 by exchanging such IP configuration information.

[Distribution of Group B Table Information] Similarly, the intra-group address processing server 43 distributes the generated forwarding table address information to all IP terminals and packet forwarders in the group. In the configuration of FIG. 8, the forwarding table address information is distributed to the IP terminals 51 and 52 and the packet forwarder 54.

[Transmission of IP Packet] It is assumed that the IP terminal 41 attempts to transmit an IP packet to the IP terminal 51 after the distribution of the table information is completed as described above. At this time, when the IP terminal 41 searches the forwarding table, the destination IP address IP. 2.1. Is Group A
Since it exists outside the physical transfer network address CORE. Of the packet forwarder 54 of the destination group B. 1.2. Is resolved. Then, the packet is transmitted to the packet forwarder 54 of the group B.

[IP Packet Transfer] Upon receiving the IP packet, the packet forwarder 54 searches its own forwarding table. Since the destination IP terminal 51 belongs to the same group B as the packet forwarder 54, the physical transfer network address CORE.
3.2. Is resolved. Therefore, the packet forwarder 54 transfers the received packet to the IP terminal 51.

[Redirection Notification] When the packet forwarder 54 receives an IP packet,
From the header of the signal format of the physical transfer network encapsulating the P packet, the physical transfer network address of the transmission source IP terminal 41 is specified. Then, using the physical transfer network address, the IP address 41 of the transmission source is
The information of the set of the IP address of the IP terminal 51 and the physical transfer network address obtained in the process of transferring the IP packet to the terminal 51 is transmitted.

[Entry Addition] Packet Forwarder 54
The IP terminal 41, which has received the reduction notification from, adds the obtained information of the pair of the IP address of the IP terminal 51 and the physical transfer network address to its own forwarding table as a cache. FIG. 9F shows an example of the address information table constructed in this way.

[IP Packet Transmission] In such a situation,
It is assumed that IP terminal 41 attempts to transmit an IP packet to IP terminal 51 again. At this time, when the IP terminal 41 searches the forwarding table, the destination IP address IP. 2.1. Exist outside the group A, but this time, the physical transfer network address CORE. 1.2. In addition to the above, the physical transfer network address CORE. 3.2. Is also resolved. Here, the address prefix size is compared, and the longer address prefix size, that is, the physical transfer network address CORE.
3.2. To send the packet directly to the destination IP
Transmit to terminal 51.

[Summary] As described above, each IP terminal and packet forwarder obtains only the minimum address information that guarantees reachability to the destination terminal from the intra-group address processing server. Therefore, this information is kept semi-permanently unless there is an update request from the intra-group address processing server. By this means, while minimizing the increase in the number of entries in the forwarding table of the IP terminal, the number of relay stages by the packet forwarder is also up to one.
It can be reduced step by step.

Further, each IP terminal holds a redirection notification from the packet forwarder of the destination group as cache information for a certain period of time, so that if a packet is frequently transmitted to the same destination, The packet can be transmitted directly to the destination IP terminal without going through the forwarder. If the address information based on the redirection notification is frequently received, the number of entries in the forwarding table increases, and information that is not used for a while is sequentially deleted. Even if the address information is deleted by the redirection notification, communication via the packet forwarder of the destination group can be performed, so that packet transmission itself is not impossible.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the number of relay stages by the packet forwarder can be reduced while minimizing the increase in the number of entries in the terminal forwarding table, the route calculation process caused by the routing protocol in the packet forwarder can be eliminated. Can also improve the forwarding processing capability. As a result, packet transfer delay between terminals is reduced,
Packet communication throughput is also improved.

In addition, a cache-like entry can be added to the forwarding table of the terminal by the redirection notification, and direct communication can be performed between the terminals without using a packet forwarder. As a result, packet transfer delay quality between terminals and packet communication throughput are further improved. In addition, since the traffic load of the packet forwarder itself can be reduced, the packet transfer delay quality and the packet communication throughput for communication via the packet forwarder can be further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow of processing by an intra-group address processing server.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of processing by an inter-group address processing server.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of processing by an IP terminal.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of processing by the terminal accommodation device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of processing by a packet forwarder.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a packet transfer procedure.

FIG. 9 is a view showing some examples of address information stored as a table.

[Explanation of symbols]

11-1, 11-2, ..., 13-1, 13-2, ..., 2
1-1, ..., 41, 42, 51, 52 IP terminals 12-1, 12-2, ..., 22-1, ... Terminal accommodating devices 14, 24, 43, 53 Intra-group address processing servers 15, 25, 44 , 54 packet forwarder 30, 100 physical transfer network 101, 31 inter-group address processing server

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Hiroyuki Hara Inventor, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, 3-19-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of packet transfer means connected to a physical transfer network and constructing a logical packet transfer network on the physical transfer network; provided for each group of the plurality of packet transfer means;
Group address processing means for managing the correspondence between the address on the packet transfer network and the address on the physical transfer network for the packet transfer means in the group as group address information; Packet processing including inter-group transfer means for transferring packets between packet transfer means of different groups, and inter-group address processing means for managing addresses for performing packet transfer between different groups as inter-group address information In the apparatus, the inter-group address processing means is configured to determine, based on the intra-group address information managed by the intra-group address processing means of each group, a set of addresses on the packet transfer network used in each group and an inter-group address within the group. Before transfer means An inter-group address information notifying unit that collects information on a pair with an address on the physical transfer network and notifies the information as inter-group address information to each intra-group address processing unit; The group address information of each packet transfer means in the group to the packet transfer means of the group and the inter-group address processing means in the group, and further, the inter-group information notifying means to at least the packet transfer means in the group Address information distributing means for distributing the inter-group address information notified from the user, and the packet transfer means, based on the intra-group address information and the inter-group address information distributed from the address information distributing means, Destination of packet transfer Packet is directly transferred to the packet transfer means using an address on the physical transfer network corresponding to a destination address on the packet transfer network, and a packet addressed to a packet transfer means outside the group is Means for transferring to the inter-group transfer means using the address of the inter-group transfer means of the group to which the packet transfer means belongs on the physical transfer network, wherein the inter-group transfer means Based on the in-group address information distributed from the address information distributing means, using the address on the physical transfer network corresponding to the destination address of the packet on the packet transfer network to the packet transfer means of the destination. A packet processing apparatus comprising: 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when a packet is transferred from outside the group, the inter-group transfer means transmits an address of the destination packet transfer means on the packet transfer network to the source packet transfer means. Means for notifying an address on a physical transfer network, the packet transfer means comprising: an address on the packet transfer network of a destination packet transfer means notified by an inter-group transfer means of another group; and the physical transfer. 2. The packet processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing an address on the network and directly transferring the subsequent packet transfer to the packet transfer means to the packet transfer means. 3. The packet processing device according to claim 1, wherein a set of addresses on the packet transfer network is represented by an upper part of the address. 4. A terminal accommodating device for accommodating one or more terminals, wherein at least a part of the plurality of packet transfer means is assigned an address on the packet transfer network to each of the terminals accommodated by the terminal accommodating device. In the address information of each terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating device, an address of the terminal on the packet transfer network and an address of the terminal accommodating device accommodating the terminal on the physical transfer network are recorded. The packet processing device according to claim 1. 5. The plurality of packet transfer means and the inter-group transfer means respectively notify the intra-group address processing means of a correspondence between an address on the packet transfer network and an address on the physical transfer network. Wherein the intra-group address processing means updates the intra-group address information in accordance with the notification of the notifying means, a set of addresses on the packet transfer network used in the group, and an inter-group address in the group. Means for notifying the inter-group address processing means of information on a set of addresses on the physical transfer network of the transfer means, means for updating inter-group information in accordance with the notification from the inter-group address means, The intra-group address information and the inter-group information are transmitted from the address information distribution unit to the group. Packet processing device according to any one of claims 1 and means for distributing 4 within. 6. An address processing server comprising the intra-group address processing means according to claim 1. 7. An address processing server comprising the inter-group address processing means according to claim 1. 8. A terminal device comprising the packet transfer means according to claim 1. 9. A terminal accommodating device comprising the packet transfer means according to claim 1. 10. A packet forwarder comprising the inter-group transfer means according to claim 1. 11. A logical packet transfer network is constructed by a plurality of packet transfer means connected to a physical transfer network, and for each group of said plurality of packet transfer means, an address on said packet transfer network and said physical Correspondence with addresses on the transfer network is managed as intra-group address information by intra-group address processing means connected to the physical transfer network, and packet transfer between groups is performed separately for each group separately from the plurality of packet transfer means. A packet processing method for performing packet transfer between groups provided differently from each other, wherein an address for performing packet transfer between different groups is managed as inter-group address information by an inter-group address processor. Groups managed by the in-group address processing means of each group. From the in-group address information, information of a set of a set of addresses on the packet transfer network used in each group and an address on the physical transfer network of the inter-group transfer means in the group is collected, and The collected information is notified to each group address processing means as inter-group address information, and the intra-group address processing means respectively transmit the packet transfer means in the group and the inter-group address processing means in the group to the intra-group address processing means. Distributing the intra-group address information for each packet transfer means, and further distributing the inter-group address information notified from the inter-group information notification means to at least the packet transfer means in the group, wherein the packet transfer means Within the group distributed by the address information distribution means Based on the address information and the inter-group address information, a packet destined for another packet transfer unit in the group is transferred using an address on the physical transfer network corresponding to a destination address on the packet transfer network. The packet which is directly transferred to the packet transfer means outside the group is transferred to the inter-group transfer means using the physical transfer network address of the inter-group transfer means of the group to which the destination packet transfer means belongs, The inter-group transfer unit performs, based on the in-group address information distributed from the address information distribution unit, a physical transfer corresponding to a destination address on the packet transfer network for a packet transferred from outside the group. Using a network address to transfer the packet to the destination packet transfer means. Packet processing method. 12. When a packet is transferred from outside the group, the inter-group transfer means transmits an address of the destination packet transfer means on the packet transfer network to the originating packet transfer means. Notifying the address on the physical transfer network of the destination packet transfer means notified from the inter-group transfer means of another group; 12. The packet processing method according to claim 11, wherein the address and the address are stored, and subsequent packet transfer to the packet transfer means is directly performed to the packet transfer means.