Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-31
2004-05-04
Meky, Moustafa M. (Department: 2157)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
C709S224000, C709S220000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06732170
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to network managements for a network composed of a plurality of objects, and more particularly to a method and system for efficiently operating a network system which may take a variety of types of logical network topologies.
Conventionally, routers and bridges have been widely used as means for implementing a method of dividing a network into multiple network segments, i.e., portions relayed by routers to control the communication traffic between respective segments. Also, as networks have been spread in enterprises in ever larger scale to allow a large number of users to share limited network resources, switched media network equipment such as ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) or the like has been developed as repeaters for effectively utilizing a limited bandwidth of a network and reducing useless traffic. The switched media network equipment repeats a packet from a certain port to a previously specified port to reduce the traffic. When ID of a network for repeating a packet is previously set in the switched media network equipment in accordance with this principle, a virtual network can be configured.
Also, as a method of managing devices on a network, SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) defined by Request for Comment (RFC) 1907 or the like is generally utilized. The SNMP provides for reference and modification to a set situation and monitoring of an operating situation for each device.
On the other hand, a directory service defined by ITU-T Recommendation X.500 Series is utilized as an international standard for a method of using a database to manage information on computers connected to a network, users who utilizes the network, and so on.
Furthermore, a plurality of different standards have been defined for methods of implementing virtual networks. For example, a LAN emulation (hereinafter abbreviated as “LANE”) defined by an industry standardization organization ATM Forum has been implemented for ATM. In addition, a variety of implementing methods, individually extended by numerous vendors, exist for Ethernet switches, other than the VLAN method (IEEE802. Lq) now under consideration for standardization by an international standardization organization IEEE.
In a network environment in which virtual networks are parallelly implemented in accordance with a plurality of different standards as mentioned above, several problems arises in terms of the management of system operations.
As a first problem, when a plurality of virtual network methods are mixedly implemented in a network environment, it is difficult for a system manager to conduct unified operation and management for all virtual networks. Assume, for example, that some settings have been changed in a certain virtual network. Since many virtual networks employ protocols or implementing methods independent of a higher level protocol such as Internet Protocol (IP), they may be interconnected through routers. However, respective virtual networks rely on their own implement methods for reference and modifications to settings thereof, setting operations must be performed for each of the virtual networks, thus making it difficult to uniformly handle these virtual networks.
FIG. 24
illustrates a network topology diagram for explaining the above-mentioned problem. In
FIG. 24
, an ATM switch
102
, two LAN emulation servers (hereinafter abbreviated as “LES”)
104
a
,
104
b
, and a LAN emulation configuration server (hereinafter abbreviated as “LECS”)
101
for managing the LESs
104
a
,
104
b
configure emulated LANs (hereinafter abbreviated as “ELAN”)
107
a
,
107
b
. Also, an Ethernet switch
106
manages VLANs
108
a
,
108
b
. Thus, a total of four virtual network segments are established in the network. When component devices must be changed in respective virtual network segment, associated settings should be individually changed by servers dedicated to manage the respective virtual network segment. In this event, the system manager must know one by one correspondence relationships between the respective virtual network segments with respect to devices to be changed.
A second problem arises due to the fact that a virtual network segment does not directly correspond to a physically connected situation, but is realized by control software on a network. Therefore, the physically connected situation of a virtual network segment is such that the network manager cannot trace it in direct correspondence to a logical network topology viewed from a higher level protocol.
FIG. 25
illustrates a network topology diagram in which the network illustrated in
FIG. 24
is regarded as a logical network conforming to the IP protocol. In the topology diagram illustrated in
FIG. 25
, it is not possible to detect the existence of a server for controlling ATM switches, LESs and so on. In other words, the configurations of ELAN and VLAN must be managed separately from the management of a logical network layer in accordance with the IP protocol.
The foregoing first and second problems are not limited to a network where a plurality of virtual network segments are implemented in different manners, but may arise also in a network system which provides for a management of a plurality of types of logical networks for a single network entity composed of a plurality of objects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system, apparatus and method for uniformly operating and managing a network system, which are capable of managing a plurality of types of logical networks for a single network entity composed of a plurality of objects, thus solving the two problems mentioned above.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides network managing system for managing a plurality of logical networks corresponding to a network including a plurality of objects, comprising:
a collecting device for collecting information on objects connected adjacent to respective objects, from said plurality of objects included said network, for creating in a database information on topologies of said plurality of objects included in said network and mutually connected to each other; and
a display device for displaying on a display said logical networks corresponding to said network including said plurality of objects together with said network including said mutually connected objects. This system may comprise:
a storage for storing said information on topologies of said plurality of objects as pointer-connected link information and object attribute information;
an input device for accepting a request for changing a connection relationship for an object in said plurality of logical networks; and
a changing device responsive to said request for referencing said storage for changing said connection relationship,
said display device displaying said plurality of logical networks including said object having the changed connection relationship. In addition, this system may comprise:
a setting device for setting a connection relationship for transmitting a signal of said object having a changed connection relationship. The display device three-dimensionally displays each of said plurality of objects connected to said network and said plurality of objects connected to said logical networks by use of solid images dinamically created by moving a viewpoint for a plurality of objects on a computer. In another aspect of the invention it is possible to provide a network operation/management system in a network system capable of managing a plurality of types of logical networks for a network entity composed of a plurality of objects, comprising display means for simultaneously displaying each of a plurality of types of logical network topologies on a virtual screen, collecting means (for example, a SNMP manager) for collecting information on network topologies (for example, information on MIB (Management Information Base)) from each of the plurality of objects, creating means for creating display data for displaying on the display means, each of the plurality of types
Kamata Yoshihiro
Miyake Shigeru
Miyazaki Satoshi
Mizuguchi Keizo
Tamayama Shotaro
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