Multiplex communications – Network configuration determination
Reexamination Certificate
1997-03-04
2002-01-01
Harrison, Jessica J. (Department: 3713)
Multiplex communications
Network configuration determination
C370S400000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06335919
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network management method for performing desired communication among data processing apparatuses in a network wherein a plurality of data processing apparatuses, for example, computers, are connected, an apparatus for the same, and a network system which can adequately perform such communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the development of data processing technology and communication technology, progress has been made in the construction of a network in which various data processing apparatuses are connected and information is used and various data processing are performed more effectively.
For example, progress has been made in the construction of an inter-network creating a large scale network by connecting a plurality of computer networks. Particularly, the so-called “Internet”, which is a global scale network using TCP/IP as a protocol, may be a typical example of such a network.
In the Internet, an IP address and domain name are given to each node on the network. An IP address is an identification number of each data processing apparatus connected to the network and represented by a 32-bit integer. Further, a domain name is a name which enables differentiation of a node on the network by a symbolic name having meaning to the user and is given to each range of management of a network divided into such ranges. These IP address and domain name must not be duplicated on the network, that is, throughout the world, and are centrally managed by a network information center (NIC).
When performing communication with a desired node in such a space, a point-to-point physical connection is made via a router or the like.
Further, in recent years, cable television (CATV) systems have been rapidly growing. Video-on-demand (VOD) and other services provided in such CATV systems are services which are provided in an environment where two-way communication is possible. Such an allotter network now has a strong nature as an information network.
Further, networks of various configurations and various sizes are rapidly spreading such as with the construction of digital exchange networks and ISDN, the spread of mobile communication networks, and the start of satellite communication services.
In the networks mentioned before, however, there was a problem that there were numerous restrictions on the configuration or processing systems based on physical conditions, so it was very difficult to effectively realize various processing via the network.
First, all of such networks have a central centralized management system, thus must set the spatial information of the network in advance. For this reason, flexibility with respect to the configuration of the network is poor and, in addition, if the size of the network becomes large, there arises a problem that the management costs of the network space thereof becomes large.
More specifically, in for example the Internet as mentioned before, the IP addresses and the domain names are managed by the NIC. Therefore, when it is intended to newly add a data processing apparatus, a local network, or the like to the network, application must be made to the NIC for granting of the same, thus a node cannot be immediately and arbitrarily added.
On the other hand, demand for mobile computing has rapidly increased in recent years. There are now strong demands that the nodes be able to be dynamically added to the network.
Further, there was a demand that, together with flexibility with respect to the configuration of each network, the processing with respect to that network be able to be easily carried out by for example the logic name set by the application or the logical network configuration. Further, there has been a demand that high grade network processing such as, for example, the placement of a program module on each node on the network and the network wide distributed processing, be performed, but the current network management method could not answer such a demand.
Further, as mentioned before, irrespective of the spread of networks of various configurations, usually connection is only possible by one route of one configuration. Comprehensive network utilization could not be achieved. For example, even when the Internet and the cable TV network are connected, they are merely connected in series and cannot be effectively utilized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a network management method that increases the flexibility in configuration or processing system for networks of various configurations and thereby makes the connection relationship among the networks closer so as to enable more effective data processing on the network, in other words, more effective service.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a network management apparatus for realizing such a network.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a network system.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the network is managed for each local partial network. Along with this, the communication among the nodes is performed by propagation of a space search by assumption-based connections.
Accordingly, the network management method of the present invention has a connection request having at least a logical node name of the destination of connection successively propagated to a node having a possibility of substantial connection with the node of the destination of connection based on information on nodes in the vicinity of that node stored in each node; has a route for substantially connecting desired nodes searched for; and has the nodes made to substantially connect and comunication between the nodes made to be performed.
Preferably, the information of nodes in a partial network and the information of another partial network connected to the partial network are managed for each of any partial networks of the network; and based on the information managed in each partial network, in each partial network, the connection request is propagated to another partial network having a possibility of substantial connection with the node of the destination of connection and a node having a possibility of substantial connection with the node of the destination of connection in the partial network so as to search for the route.
Preferably, the connection request is propagated in a message, the connection request propagated in a message is analyzed at a predetermined node, based on the result of the analysis, the partial network and nodes having a possibility of substantial connection are looked for and desired processing based on the connection request are carried out, and a connection request updated based on the result of the processings is transmitted to the partial network and nodes having a possibility of substantial connection in a message.
More preferably, a node is added or deleted by updating only the information managed by the partial network containing the node to be added or deleted.
Still more preferably, between networks having different configurations, the node to which the networks having the different configurations are connected manages the configuration and information of both of the different networks, converts the format of the connection request, and propagates the connection request.
Specifically, when a plurality of nodes are retrieved as destinations of connection by the search, a single optimum node is selected from among the retrieved plurality of nodes by a predetermined evaluation method and the selected node is substantially connected to the node of the origin of request and made to perform the communication. Any evaluation method can be adopted as this evaluation method. For example, it is also possible to set data that indicates the attributes of the node in the connection request and compare the data with the attributes of the retrieved node to perform the evaluation and it is also possible to use the distance of the route as the evaluation value and select the node with the shortest route.
Spec
Harrison Jessica J.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Nguyen Kim T
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