JPH1188405A - 'ethernet' hub with management function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain management information even if a network cannot be communicated by providing a function for managing management information of a network for an 'Ethernet' hub. SOLUTION: A twist pair (TP) port 5 uses two pairs (four) of TP cables for data communication and remaining two pairs (four) are transmission lines only for network management information. The idle terminal of the TP port 5 is a terminal only for management information. Management information can be received at any time by the private terminal. Namely, management information transmitted from the private communication line is managed/ obtained in a CPU 3 through a communication circuit part 4. Management information is transmitted from the other TP port through hub LSI2 at need or it is transmitted to the other 'Ethernet' hub with management function through a transceiver and a node station.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an Ethernet hub with a management function used in a LAN (Local Area Network). More specifically, the present invention relates to L
The present invention relates to an Ethernet hub with a management function provided with a management function in an Ethernet hub that relays a data signal between a node station provided on an AN and each terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art LAN technology is remarkably progressing, and various devices used on or connected to the LAN, for example, Ethernet hubs, are required to have high functionality.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a LAN system. The role of the Ethernet hub will be described with reference to FIG. There is a light loop in the center, and the data signal goes around this loop. The node stations 11 are provided at various places in this loop.

[0004] The data signal converted into electricity from the node station 11 is transmitted to the Ethernet hub 13 via the transceiver 12. And Ethernet hub 1
Data signals are transmitted from 3 to any or all of the terminals 14 to 18 as necessary.

[0005] Data signals transmitted from the terminals 14 to 18 are transmitted to a central loop via the Ethernet hub 13, the transceiver 12, and the node station 11, and go around the loop. Then, it is received by the destination terminal or device via another node station.

[0006] As described above, the Ethernet hub 13 relays data signals between the node station 11 and the terminals 14 to 18.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional Ethernet hub 13. The Ethernet hub 13 is a hub LSI
19, TP (Twist Pair) ports 20 to 24. A TP cable 25 is connected to the TP ports 20 to 24. This TP cable is an Ethernet hub 1
3 and the terminals 14 to 18, and the Ethernet hub 13 and the transceiver 12.

The TP cable 25 uses four pairs (eight), two pairs (four) are always used, and the remaining two pairs (four) are unused. Therefore, TP port 20
24 to 24 have empty terminals.

[0009] The data signal transmitted by the TP cable 25 is transmitted to the hub LSI 19 via the TP port 20. If necessary, the data signal transmitted to the central loop via the transceiver 12 or the transmitted data signal is transmitted to another terminal.

[0010]

The conventional Ethernet hub has the following problems.

In the above-mentioned LAN or Ethernet, it is necessary to transmit and receive information for managing the network between the Ethernet hubs 13 or between the node stations 11. Then, the contents of the management information need to be acquired by the Ethernet hub or one terminal, for example, the terminal 14.

In a conventional Ethernet hub, a network to be managed is used for this network management information communication. For example, terminal 14 and TP cable 2
5 and the TP port 20 are dedicated to the transmission path of the network management information.

Therefore, the port used for this management information is not used for data signal communication. In addition, in a state such as a broadcast storm, that is, when communication itself via the network becomes impossible, the Ethernet hub 13 or the terminal cannot acquire the management information. It was impossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an Ethernet hub with a management function capable of resolving the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and acquiring network management information even when the network cannot communicate.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs an Ethernet hub having a management function, wherein the Ethernet hub has a function of managing network management information.

The management function may be realized by a CPU, a communication circuit unit, and a vacant terminal of a port of the hub.

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an Ethernet hub with a management function according to the present invention. The Ethernet hub 1 with the management mechanism includes a hub LSI 2 and a CPU.
3, a communication circuit unit 4, and TP ports 5 to 9. The TP cables 10 are inserted into the TP ports 5 to 9, respectively.

As the conventional TP cable 10, four pairs (eight) of TP cables are used. The TP ports 6 to 9 are used in the same manner as in the related art. That is, two pairs (four) are used for data communication, and the remaining two pairs (four) remain unused.

The TP port 5 has different uses. In this port, two pairs (four) of TP cables are used for data communication, and the remaining two pairs (four) are dedicated transmission paths for network management information as shown in FIG. And TP
The vacant terminal of the port 5 is a terminal dedicated to management information.

The management information can be transmitted and received at any time by this dedicated transmission path. That is, the management information transmitted from the dedicated communication path is managed and acquired by the CPU 3 via the communication circuit unit 4. Then, the management information is transmitted from another TP port via the hub LSI 2 as needed, or the management information is transmitted to another Ethernet hub with a management function via a transceiver or a node station.

Thus, the vacant terminal of the TP port 5
The communication circuit unit 4 and the CPU 3 make it possible to constantly acquire network management information. Even when the network cannot communicate in the broadcast storm state, it is possible to reliably acquire the management information.

[0022]

The Ethernet hub with a management function of the present invention secures a transmission path dedicated to management information, so that even when a network to be managed cannot be used due to a network failure, a failure occurs. Management information can be obtained, failure analysis / isolation and failure recovery can be easily performed, which is industrially useful.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of an Ethernet hub with a management function of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a LAN system using a conventional Ethernet hub.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional Ethernet hub.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ethernet hub with management function 2, 19 Hub LSI 3 CPU 4 Communication circuit part 5-9, 20-24 TP port 10, 25 TP cable 11 Node station 12 Transceiver 13 Ethernet hub 14-18 Terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An Ethernet hub with a management function, wherein the Ethernet hub has a function of managing network management information. 2. The Ethernet hub with a management function according to claim 1, wherein the management function is realized by a CPU, a communication circuit unit, and a vacant terminal of a port of the hub.