JP2638565B2 - LAN connection device and method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a general-purpose computer connected to a LAN.
(Local Area Network) It is used in the field of implementing the operation with the redundant connection when connecting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional LAN connection device connects two LAN connection devices to a general-purpose computer.
Operating LAN even if the interface to the
When the connection device breaks down, when switching to the standby LAN connection device, the work of manually changing the IP address of the active LAN connection device to the standby LAN connection device has been performed.

[0003]

When a general-purpose computer is duplicated and connected to a LAN, the conventional LAN connection device is connected to a standby LAN connection device if the active LAN connection device fails without manual intervention. Has the disadvantage that the IP address cannot be changed.

Accordingly, the present invention improves the disadvantages of the above-mentioned conventional LAN connection device, and performs switching of the IP address of the LAN connection device without constructing the system when a dual LAN connection device of a general-purpose computer is constructed. It is intended to improve reliability.

[0005]

The present invention employs the following means to solve the above-mentioned problems.

(1) In a redundant system in which an active system and a standby LAN connection device connect a general-purpose computer to a LAN, a general-purpose computer interface with the general-purpose computer is controlled, and a connection command is received via the general-purpose computer interface. The control means of the LAN connection device which controls the start of operation as the LAN connection device and controls the communication connection of the LAN interface, and whether the standby LAN connection device can communicate with the LAN side of the active LAN connection device and the general-purpose computer. Means for periodically checking the active system using an ICMP packet from the system LAN connection device to the host via the LAN, issuing an IP information acquisition request from the standby system LAN connection device to the operation system LAN connection device, The connection device passes the IP information to the standby LAN connection device, and Means for the apparatus to obtain the IP information of the active LAN connection apparatus, means for storing the IP information obtained by the IP information obtaining means, control means for the LAN interface for controlling the LAN interface, and activating and deactivating the LAN interface; A LAN connection device having IP information replacement means for replacing the IP address of a standby LAN connection device with an IP address of an active system and reflecting routing information.

(2) The LAN connection device according to (1), wherein the LAN is connected to a concentrator as an optical fiber distribution data interface.

(3) In a redundant system in which an active system and a standby LAN connection device connect a general-purpose computer to a LAN, a general-purpose computer interface with the general-purpose computer is controlled, and a connection command is received via the general-purpose computer interface. It controls the start of operation as a LAN connection device, controls communication connection of the LAN interface, and determines whether the standby LAN connection device can communicate between the LAN side of the active LAN connection device and the general-purpose computer.
ICMP from the AN connection device to the host via the LAN
The active LAN connection device periodically checks the active system using a packet, issues an IP information acquisition request from the standby LAN connection device to the active LAN connection device, and the active LAN connection device passes the IP information to the standby LAN connection device and waits. The system LAN connection device obtains the IP information of the active LAN connection device, stores the IP information obtained by the IP information obtaining means, controls the LAN interface, activates and deactivates the standby LAN connection device, LAN connection method in which the IP address is replaced with the active IP address and the routing information is reflected.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

Two LAN connection devices 1 and 2 are connected to one general-purpose computer 3, and first, one is manually generated as a standby LAN connection device 1 by a system generate (hereinafter referred to as “SG”). Then, the other one is set as the active LAN connection device 2 by SG, and the case where the LAN 4 is FDDI (optical fiber distribution data interface) is considered.
It is assumed that the LAN 4 is connected to the concentrator 5, the general-purpose computer 3 does not have the communication protocol processing function of the LAN 4, and the communication protocol processing function is performed by the LAN connection devices 1 and 2. It is also assumed that the standby LAN connection device 1 and the active LAN connection device 2 have their IP addresses manually registered in the respective LAN connection devices.

Next, the LAN connection devices 1 and 2 shown in FIG.
The inside of the device will be described. LAN connection devices 1 and 2
Are functionally equivalent devices, but are divided into a standby system and an active system, and therefore, the explanation will be made according to each system.

The standby LAN connection device 1 according to the present invention includes a device control section 11 for controlling the standby LAN connection device 1, controlling a protocol of a general-purpose computer interface, and controlling a protocol of the LAN interface, and an active LAN connection device 2.
Information exchange unit 12 for exchanging the IP information of the standby system and the IP information of the standby system.
An operation system check unit 13 that checks the communication function of the operation system LAN connection device 2 from the AN 4 side, and the operation system LAN acquired by the own device IP information and the IP information acquisition unit 15.
An IP information storage unit 14 for storing IP information of the connection device 2;
An IP information acquisition unit 15 for acquiring IP information from the active LAN connection device 2;
It comprises a LAN interface control unit 16 for activating and deactivating the interface. The active LAN connection device 2 controls the active LAN connection device 2, controls the protocol of the general-purpose computer interface, and controls the protocol of the LAN interface.
An IP information replacement unit 22 that replaces the P information with the IP information of the standby system (the LAN connection device 2 is an active system and the IP information replacement unit 22 does not operate in the present invention), and has a flag indicating the standby system of the active system. The active system check unit 23 (the function check function of the active system does not function because the LAN connection device 2 is the active system in the present invention), and the IP information storage unit 24 that stores the IP information of the own device (the LAN connection device in the present invention) 2
Is an active system, so the IP information storage function does not function. ), If there is a request to obtain IP information from the standby system, an IP information obtaining unit 25 that transmits the IP information to the standby LAN connection device 1
(In the present invention, since the LAN connection device 2 is an active system, the IP information acquisition function does not function.) L controlling the LAN interface and activating and deactivating the LAN interface
An AN interface control unit 26 is provided.

The LAN connection device 2 has already been SG as the active system, and the "active flag" has been set in the active check unit 23. The device control unit 21 establishes a communication connection with the general-purpose computer 3 and establishes a communication path. At this time, LAN
The connection device 1 has already been SG as the standby system, the operation system flag is not set in the operation system check unit 13, and the communication connection with the general-purpose computer 3 is not established. When the operation of the active LAN connection device 2 is started, the device control unit 2
1 establishes a physical connection of a general-purpose computer interface, and when a request for establishing a communication connection and a communication path is made from the general-purpose computer interface, a response of “general-purpose computer interface is operating” is made to the request, and the general-purpose computer interface is activated. Use and start communication. When the operation of the standby LAN connection device 1 is started, the device control unit 11 opens a physical connection of the general-purpose computer interface, and when a request for opening a communication connection is received from the general-purpose computer interface, “the general-purpose computer interface is suspended. "Response. The general-purpose computer 3 starts communication from the general-purpose computer interface via the active LAN connection device 2 to which a response during the operation of the general-purpose computer interface has been received. The general-purpose computer 3 also responds to the suspension of the general-purpose computer interface while the standby system LA responded.
In the N connection device 1, when a communication failure with the general purpose computer interface of the general purpose computer 3 occurs due to the occurrence of a communication failure with the regular or active LAN connection device 2 (the operator decides by the SG of the general purpose computer 3). ), A “suspended communication connection open request” is made. Standby LAN connection device 1 receiving the idle communication connection open request
Establishes a communication connection via the general-purpose computer interface and returns a response during the operation of the general-purpose computer interface.

The standby LAN connection device 1 in which the operation flag is not set in the operation check unit 13 uses the IP address of the operation LAN connection device 2 which has already been registered by the operation check unit 13 and operates. LAN connection device 2
To "IP information transfer request". IP information acquisition unit 25 of active LAN connection device 2 that has received the IP information transfer request
Transmits the “active IP information” stored in the IP information storage unit 24 to the standby LAN connection device 1 using the IP address of the standby LAN connection device 1 that has been registered. The standby LAN connection device 1 that has received the active IP information stores the active IP information in the IP information storage unit 14 in a storage area different from the standby IP information. In addition, the standby LAN connection device 1 performs ping communication with the operation system check unit 13 to check whether the LAN 4 can periodically access the general-purpose computer 3 via the operation system LAN connection device 2 to check the communication function. This operation system check unit 1
Pi of communication function check of active LAN connection device 2
If there is no response in the ng communication, a communication check is performed again after a predetermined time by SG, and if there is still no response,
The active system check unit 13 sets an “active system failure flag” indicating that a communication failure has occurred in the active LAN connection device 2. In addition, the operating system check unit 13 performs ping communication to a plurality of other terminals on the LAN 4 and confirms that it is not a failure of its own device.

The device control unit 21 of the active LAN connection device 2 periodically monitors the frame reception interruption of the LAN I / F control unit 26, and if no frame reception interruption occurs during a predetermined period by SG. Then, a flag is set in the device control unit 21 so as not to reset the LAN I / F control unit 26, the own device is reset, and the communication function of the own device is restored up to a predetermined number of times by SG. If the communication device cannot be recovered by resetting its own device to recover the communication function, the device control unit 2
1 causes the LAN I / F control unit 26 to go down.

Device control unit 11 of standby LAN connection device 1
When the failure of the active LAN connection device 2 is recognized by the active failure flag, the LAN interface is brought down by the LAN I / F control unit 16 and “LAN I / F
Set the "F down flag". Standby system controller 11
When it is confirmed that the active failure flag and the LAN I / F down flag are set, the IP information replacement unit 12 replaces the active IP address stored in the IP information storage unit 14 with its own IP address. And I
The IP information replacement unit 12 replaces the IP information stored in the P information storage unit 14 with the active IP information and the standby IP information. After that, an “IP information replacement end flag” is set. When the device control unit 11 confirms that the IP information replacement end flag has been set, the device control unit 11 sets the active system flag in the active system check unit 13, and the LAN I / F control unit 16 sets the LA.
Increase NI / F. Then, it waits for the communication connection opening request during suspension from the general-purpose computer 3, and starts communication control as soon as the request comes.

[0017]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when a failure occurs in the active LAN connection device during the construction of the redundant system of the LAN connection device of the general-purpose computer, the connection to the standby LAN connection device is established. Switching of the IP address is automatically performed, and the reliability of the system is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 (standby system) LAN connection device 2 (active system) LAN connection device 3 general-purpose computer 4 LAN 5 concentrator 11, 21 device control unit 12, 22, IP information replacement unit 13, 23 active system check unit 14, 24 IP information storage unit 15, 25 IP information acquisition unit 16, 26 LAN interface (I / F) control unit

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] In a redundant system in which a general-purpose computer is connected to a LAN by an active system and a standby system LAN connection device, a general-purpose computer interface with the general-purpose computer is controlled, and a connection command is received via the general-purpose computer interface. Controls the start of operation as a connection device, and
LAN for communication connection control of N interface
Control means for the connection device, the standby LAN connection device is an LA of the operation LAN connection device;
Standby LAN whether communication between N side and general purpose computer can be performed
An Internet Control Message Protocol (hereinafter referred to as "I
It is called CMP. Means for periodically checking the active system using a packet; issuing an Internet Protocol (hereinafter referred to as "IP") information acquisition request from the standby LAN connection device to the active LAN connection device; Is the standby LAN
Means for passing the IP information to the connection device, means for the standby LAN connection device to acquire the IP information of the active LAN connection device, means for storing the IP information acquired by the IP information acquisition means, control of the LAN interface, activation Control means for a LAN interface to be activated and deactivated; and IP information replacement means for replacing the IP address of the standby LAN connection apparatus with the IP address of the active system and reflecting routing information. . 2. The LAN connection device according to claim 1, wherein the LAN is connected to a concentrator as an optical fiber distribution data interface. 3. In a duplex system comprising an active system and a standby LAN connection device for connecting a general-purpose computer to a LAN, a general-purpose computer interface with a general-purpose computer is controlled, and a connection command is received via the general-purpose computer interface. Controls the start of operation as a connection device, and
The communication connection control of the N interface is performed, and the standby LAN connection device is connected to the LA of the operation LAN connection device.
Standby LAN whether communication between N side and general purpose computer can be performed
Periodically check the active system using ICMP packets from the connection device to the host via the LAN, and use the IP connection from the standby LAN connection device to the operation LAN connection device.
An information acquisition request is issued, and the active LAN connection device
The IP information is passed to the AN connection device, the standby LAN connection device acquires the IP information of the active LAN connection device, stores the IP information acquired by the IP information acquisition means, controls the LAN interface, and activates the LAN interface. , Deactivating and replacing the IP address of the standby LAN connection device with the IP address of the active system to reflect the routing information.