JP2500635B2 - Network modular concentrator - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a concentrator for a network such as a LAN, and more particularly to a modular concentrator for a network in which a plurality of interface cards of different types can be selected and mounted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a modular LAN concentrator of this type has a plurality of interface cards having different medium interfaces and access methods, and can provide a function of concentrating various LAN combinations by combining card combinations. On the other hand, when an attempt is made to set options or monitor the status of the interface as a network management function, the card configuration information is not constant, so the device management CPU that manages network management recognizes the card configuration information in some way. There is a need.

According to this method, predetermined information such as an address and an identification code is set on the interface card by means of a DIP switch or the like according to the slot to be inserted, and the necessary information is obtained by accessing from the device management CPU. The method is common. For example, set the I / O address of the interface card from slot # 1 to #
The addresses corresponding to up to n are defined in advance,
Each card sets the I / O address corresponding to the slot to be mounted on the card with a switch, and the device management CPU sequentially accesses the I / O address from slot # 1 to obtain the identification code of the card mounted in each slot. Check to see which type of card is installed in which slot,
Search the information database about the interface card that was stored in advance according to the identification code,
Load the information needed to manage each interface.
After that, the resource on the interface card is accessed according to the information. Of course, in the above example, the I / O address can be considered as a memory address in the same manner, and the information database for interface management itself can be placed in the resources on the interface.

[0004]

However, in the conventional example, it is necessary to individually set the information for identifying the slot position on the interface card by some means. If this device is configured to allow hot plugging,
Assuming a case where some of the cards are out of order or a field upgrade is performed, if these hardware settings and software configurations are on the card, the package after replacement will be used when replacing the card. Since it is necessary to reproduce all the settings above, maintenance work such as recording the setting status becomes complicated. Also,
We continue to provide services except for cards that need to be changed, and if there is a setting mistake (address duplication etc.) in the card to be replaced or added, the system that worked normally until now There is a problem in that it will adversely affect the system and cause trouble such as the failure of the entire system.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a conventional problem, and eliminates the need for setting depending on the slot position of an interface card, and facilitates maintenance work accompanying card replacement and the like. An object is to provide a modular type concentrator. Further, another object of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of a failure due to a setting error and to improve the workability of maintenance by simplifying the management information setting work in the interface card replacement and new mounting. An object is to provide a modular concentrator of a network.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of interface cards having a management card for managing the state of network interfaces and an interface connected to an external network line are provided in a plurality of chassis. In a modular concentrator of a network, which is mounted in a slot of a switch in a replaceable manner and the management card and the interface card are logically and physically connected by a backplane circuit in the chassis, the backplane circuit is provided with the slot. A slot identification value generating means for generating an identification value indicating the position of the slot corresponding to each, and the management card can be shared and accessed from the interface card, and corresponding to the interface card. A shared memory having a plurality of divided areas and storing management information of the interface card in each of the divided areas is provided, and when accessing the shared memory to the interface card, the slot identification value generating means It is configured to include means for generating an address of an area corresponding to the interface card on the shared memory based on the identification value. Further, according to a preferable aspect, the address generation unit, with respect to a certain external reference address set for the interface card to access the shared memory,
It is composed of an address converter which adds an offset of a different value for each interface card based on the identification value from the slot identification value generating means.

Further, in the modular type concentrator of the network according to the present invention, when the card of the same type is inserted into the interface card based on the management information of the corresponding area of the shared memory when the card is inserted into the slot. Or a means for discriminating whether a card of a different type is inserted or a new card is inserted, and in the case of inserting a card of the same type, a setting for continuing the state is made by referring to the management information of the corresponding area of the shared memory. Means and an interrupt request means for requesting an interrupt for card initialization to the management card when a card of a different type is inserted or a new insertion, and the management card is provided with an interrupt request from the interface card. It is configured to include initialization means for performing the initialization processing of the interface. In a preferred aspect, the interrupt request means generates an interrupt level for identifying whether a card of a different type is inserted or a new card is inserted together with an interrupt request, and the management card has a nest stage for determining the interrupt level of the interrupt request. The initialization means performs initialization processing of the interface card according to the determined interrupt level.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a modular LAN concentrator to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, the LAN concentrator is configured by combining a management card 13a and interface cards 13b to 13n that are electrically connected to the backplane circuit 11 by being installed in a slot of a chassis 10 including the backplane circuit 11. ing. The management card 13a and the interface card 1
3b to 13n are attached to the slots of the chassis 10 so that they can be inserted and removed.

The backplane circuit 11 has a LAN data bus 21 for transmitting and receiving communication packets between cards,
Management bus 22 for exchanging management information between each card
And slot number generators 23a to 23n provided for each slot into which each card is inserted.
The slot number generator 23a is a management card 13
a slot number generator 23b to
23n are provided in the slots of the interface cards 13b to 13n. In addition, each slot number generator 23
Each of a to 23n generates a unique slot identification value (value indicating a slot position) defined in advance for each slot position and supplies it to the card mounted in each slot.

The management card 13a includes a device management CPU 31 for managing the entire device and a device management CPU 31.
Is connected to the LAN controller 33 for transmitting and receiving packets to and from the network via the LAN data bus 21, the management bus 22 and the device management CPU 31, and the interface CPUs on the interface cards 13b to 13n.
And a 2-port RAM 32 directly accessible from the device management CPU 31.

The interface cards 13b to 13n are
An interface CPU 41 for controlling the card, an address converter 42 for inputting a slot identification value from the slot number generators 23b to 23n to offset the address output by the interface CPU 41, and a LAN.
A LAN that can send and receive data to and from the data bus 21 and can access the internal state from the interface CPU 41.
It is composed of an interface unit 43.

L of the interface cards 13b to 13n
In the case of the CSMA / CD type, the AN interface unit 43 uses an example of providing a multiport repeater function, but may be a concentrating mechanism for other types of media. Packets transmitted / received on the LAN interface unit 43 are shared by all interface cards via the LAN data bus 21 of the backplane circuit 11, and an input packet of a certain interface card is a LAN interface unit 43 of all interface cards and a management card. 12 LAN controllers 33. Except for the LAN controller 33, the packet input from the LAN data bus 21 is relayed and output to all the connected LAN lines.

Since the LAN controller 33 forms a station, it receives packets addressed to the device management CPU 31 (mainly management packets) and passes them to the device management CPU 31, and packets generated by the device management CPU 31 are sent to the LAN data bus 21. Via the LAN interface unit 43 of each of the interface cards 13b to 13n.

The packet generated by the device management CPU 31 is mainly used for communication with a network management system located somewhere on the network. for that reason,
The management device CPU 31 reads the operating state of each LAN interface unit 43, the connection state of each card, the statistical information of processing, and the like from the interface CPU 41 on each card, and the LA on each interface card 13b to 13n.
The state of the N interface unit 43 is collectively managed so as to respond to an inquiry from a network management system (manager) device external to the device, or each interface C according to a request from the network management system device.
The internal state is set by instructing the PU 41. As the implementation specifications of the network management agent function realized by the device management CPU 31 and the interface CPU 41 in cooperation, SNN or CMIP is used as a protocol.
However, as the MIB that defines the management information, the one that conforms to the RFC document is generally adopted.

In this embodiment, the management card 13
The 2-port RAM 32 on a is logically divided into a plurality of areas, and each area is assigned one to each slot,
Each interface card 13b to 1 in each allocated area
Store 3n management information. Each interface card 1
The interface CPU 41 of 3b to 13n has 2 ports R
When accessing the AM 32, the area assigned to the own slot is accessed. In this case, since each interface CPU 41 itself does not know the slot position of its own card, it issues a fixed external reference address via the management bus 12. When the external reference address is issued, the address converter 42 of the interface card including the interface CPU 41 that issued the external reference address causes the slot number generator 23b corresponding to the slot of the own card.
An offset is added to the external reference address according to the value indicating the slot position acquired from ˜23n.

For example, the start address of the 2-port RAM 32 seen from the management bus 22 side is "0FF00000.
OH ”. If areas of the 2-port RAM 32 are allocated for the management card 13a and each of the interface boards 13b to 13n by 64 Kbytes, the slot a of the management card 13a is "0".
"FF000000H" to "0FF00FFFFH"
“0FF
"010000H" to "0FF01FFFFH", and "0FF020" in the slot c of the interface card 13c.
Addresses are assigned such as "000H" to "0FF02FFFFH" .... 2 port RAM
32 shows a state in which an area is assigned to each slot.

Each of the interface CPUs 41 of the interface cards 13b to 13n has a 2-port RAM 32.
64K with the leading address "0FF000000H" as the external reference address
Byte space, that is, "0FF000000H"
Access “0FF00FFFFH”. However, the slot number generators 23b to 23n corresponding to the slots in which the interface cards 13b to 13n are installed, respectively.
An offset is added to the external reference address according to the value indicating the slot position obtained from the two-port RAM 32 actually assigned to each slot as shown in FIG.
You will access the area above.

For example, the interface CPUs 41 to 2 of the interface card 13b mounted in the slot b
The case of accessing the port RAM 32 will be described. The interface CPU 41 uses “0” as the external reference address.
Although "FF000000H" to "0FF00FFFFH" are issued, the address converter 42 of the interface card 13b adds an offset of "10000H" to the external reference address based on the value of the slot number generator 23b. Therefore, the interface CPU 41 of the interface card 13b sends "1000" to the external reference address.
"0FF0", which is a space to which an offset of "0H" is added
Access "10000H" to "0FF01FFFFH".

Similarly, when the interface CPU 41 of the interface card 13c mounted in the slot c accesses the 2-port RAM 32, the address converter 42 offsets the external reference address by "20000H" based on the value of the slot number generator 23c. By adding "0FF00000H" to "0FF0
2FFFFH ”is accessed.

As described above, each interface card 1
3b to 13n address converters 42 are used for slot number generators 23b to 23 of the slots in which the respective cards are mounted.
Since the offset is added to a fixed external reference address based on the value indicating the slot position where n occurs, each interface card has exactly the same hardware and software regardless of the slot position to be mounted. And can be used without making settings dependent on the slot position to be mounted in advance.

It should be noted that the address converter as described above is not provided, and the values generated by the slot number generators 23a to 23n are recognized by the I / O or the like of the interface CPU 41 to convert the external reference address by software (offset The same effect can be obtained even if (added). However, when the function of the address converter is implemented by software, it is possible to use the memory efficiently by using the table method, and the advantages such as low cost can be obtained. If the address converter 42 by hardware is used, there is an effect that address conversion at a higher speed than that by the software method can be realized.

When the power of the concentrator is turned on or reset, the device management CP of the management card 13a
U31 initializes the 2-port RAM 32. In this initialization, among the areas logically divided for each slot as described above, the interface cards 13b-1
A state flag value “00H” indicating unmounted is written in a predetermined mounted flag area in the area corresponding to 3n.

Next, the interface CPU 41 of each interface card writes a status flag value other than the flag value "00H" in the mounting flag area to indicate that it is mounted, and at the same time, writes the status flag value in the corresponding area of the 2-port RAM 32. Write management information including type, type and quantity of implemented interface.

The device management CPU 31 inspects the status flag value written in the mounting flag region of each slot and reads the management information on the mounted interface card to grasp the overall configuration of the device,
Necessary settings and processing are performed according to the management information.

Next, a modular LAN concentrator according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The modular LAN concentrator of this embodiment is configured by combining a management card 53a and interface cards 53b to 53n which are electrically connected to the backplane circuit 11 by being mounted in the slots of the chassis 10 including the backplane circuit 11. Has been done. In FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. Description of the common components will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the management card 53a is provided with an interrupt controller 35 for judging the level of an interrupt signal input via the management bus 22 and interrupting the device management CPU 31. In addition, the interface cards 53b to 53n include
By detecting the interrupt request signal from the interface CPU 41, the slot identification values of the slot number generators 23b to 23n are calculated to generate a signal for identifying the type of interrupt, and the interrupt identification signal is generated together with the interrupt request signal on the management bus. An interrupt generator 44 for outputting to 22 is added.

In the first embodiment described above, the device management CPU 31 of the management card 13a recognizes whether the interface card is mounted or not by checking the status flag of the area allocated to each slot of the 2-port RAM 32. However, in this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently set the management information by recognizing the replacement or the new insertion of the board.

In this embodiment, the mounted state of the card can be traced in real time by monitoring and controlling the value of the state flag of each area in the steady operation state. For this reason, the status flag written in the mounting flag area of the area divided corresponding to each slot of the 2-port RAM 32 of the management card 53a is defined as follows. That is, the status flag indicating that the card is not mounted is "00H", the status flag indicating that the card is inoperable (down) is "01H", the status flag indicating that a card failure has occurred is "02H", and the operation of the card is stopped. The status flag is "03H", the status flag indicating that the card is operating is "04H", and the status flag indicating that the card is inspecting is "FF".
H "is defined. Note that it is of course possible to take other specific values as long as the respective states can be distinguished.

Next, the operation when the apparatus is started by turning on the power or resetting will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 4 shows the processing contents of the device management CPU 31. When the device is started, the device management CPU 31 has a 2-port RAM 32 corresponding to all slots.
Initialization is performed by writing a status flag "00H" indicating that the device is not mounted in all areas (step 401). On the other hand, each interface CPU 41 sets a status flag “03H” (stop) in the area of its own card, initializes the entire own card, and when the card is initialized, the status flag “03H” is set. 04H ”(in operation) is set.

The device management CPU 31 periodically sets a status flag "FFH" (under inspection) in the area of the 2-port RAM 32 corresponding to each board at a certain cycle t1 (step 402). Further, the interface CPU 41 of each of the installed interface cards 13b to 13n sets the corresponding value of the status flag “03H” or “04H” to its own area of the 2-port RAM 32 at a cycle t2 that is sufficiently shorter than the cycle t1. set.

When writing the status flag "FFH" to the area corresponding to each board in every cycle t1, the device management CPU 31 checks whether or not the status flag is written back to a value other than "FFH" ( Step 403). If the interface cards 13b to 13n are operating normally, at least once or more during the cycle t1.
Since the interface CPU 41 has written the state flag “03H” or “04H” at the cycle t2, the device management CPU 31 repeats the writing of the state flag “FFH” at the cycle t1 and the above check.

In step 403, the status flag "F
After writing "FH", for example, a certain interface card is removed from the slot or a failure occurs in the interface CPU 41, which causes the interface CPU 41 to perform a status flag "F" every cycle t2.
When no value other than “FH” is written, the status flag remains “FFH”, so the device management CPU 31
It is determined that the interface card cannot operate, and the status flag "01H" (down) is written in the corresponding area (step 404). After that, the management of the corresponding card is processed as being down (freezing of all information).

When a failure occurs in the interface CPU 41, the interface CPU 41 may write a status flag “02H” (failure) in the corresponding area of the own card to block the processing of the own interface card. In this case, the device management CPU 31 can refer to the status flag to check the status of each card and determine whether the management information developed by the interface CPU 41 in the area of the 2-port RAM 32 can be used.

The above description shows the inspection processing by the device management CPU 31 for the installed interface cards 13b to 13n after the device is activated. Next, the case where the interface card is inserted into the slot will be described.

Interface cards 13b to
When 13n is inserted, power is supplied to the inserted interface card and a reset signal for resetting the card is generated. Here, the processing of the interface CPU 41 of the inserted interface card will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The interface CPU 41 is a 2-port R
Refer to the status flag of the area on the AM 32 (step 5)
01). Then, it is determined whether or not the status flag is "00H" (not mounted) in the corresponding area on the 2-port RAM 32 (that is, whether it is new mounting or replacement mounting) (step 502). When the insertion of the interface card occurs due to replacement due to a failure or the like, the status flag “01H” or “02H” is written in the corresponding area on the 2-port RAM 32. In this case, it is determined whether the card is the same type as the inserted interface card by referring to the card ID information indicating the type of card written in the area (step 503).

If it is confirmed in step 503 that the cards are of the same type, the status flag "0" is set in the corresponding area.
3H "(stop) is written (step 504). Then, the card setting is executed (step 505). This setting is performed not only by initializing but by taking over the state of the card before exchange. That is, 2-port RAM3
The setting is performed based on the setting information regarding the card before the replacement, which is developed in the corresponding area of 2.

In step 502, the status flag is "00H".
(Not mounted), or if the cards are not the same type in step 503, the status flag “03H” (stop) is written in the corresponding area of the 2-port RAM 32 (step 50).
6). At the same time, the card ID information and configuration information are written in the corresponding area (step 507), and an interrupt request is output to the device management CPU 31 (step 508).

The interrupt request signal is generated by the interrupt generator 44 of the mounted card determining the interrupt level. This interrupt level indicates whether the implementation of the interface card is a new insertion or a different type of exchange. The generated interrupt request signal is accepted by the interrupt controller 35 of the management card 53a via the management bus 22. Then, the interrupt controller 35 determines the interrupt level of the interrupt request signal and issues an interrupt corresponding to the interrupt level to the device management CPU 31.

The device management CPU 31 recognizes whether the configuration of the interface card of the slot has been changed (the card of a different type has been replaced) or has been newly mounted, depending on the interrupt level, and performs necessary processing. For example, if the card is newly installed, the device management CPU 31 provides default setting information or external setting information to the interface card. On the other hand, the interface C
The PU 41 rewrites the state flag to "04H" (in operation) when the PU 41 becomes operable. If different types of cards are to be exchanged, the setting information already set in the area of the 2-port RAM 32 is linked to the exchanged board and the operation is set to continue.

As described above, when the interface card is inserted in the slot, the card of the same type is replaced, or
By discriminating whether a different type of card is replaced or newly inserted, the interface card is initialized with the contents suitable for the mounting state. For this reason,
Unnecessary re-setting of the interface card can be eliminated, the operation of the interface card can be started with minimum labor without resetting the entire apparatus, and setting mistakes can be avoided as much as possible. The present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments.
The present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiment. For example, although the present invention is applied to the LAN concentrator in the above embodiment, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a wide area network other than the LAN.

[0042]

As described above, according to the modular concentrator of the network of the present invention, the setting depending on the slot position of the interface card is unnecessary, and the maintenance work associated with the card replacement can be easily performed. . Further, by simplifying the management information setting work in the replacement of the interface card and the new mounting, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a failure due to a setting mistake and improve the workability of maintenance. In particular, when the same type of interface card is replaced, it is not necessary to reset the card, so that a remarkable effect can be obtained in preventing the occurrence of a failure due to a setting error and improving the workability of maintenance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a modular concentrator of a network according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state of area division of a 2-port RAM in the modular concentrator of the network of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a modular concentrator of a network according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating the contents of an inspection process of a device management CPU in the modular concentrator of the network of FIG.

5 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of the interface CPU accompanying board insertion in the modular concentrator of the network of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Chassis 11 Backplane Circuit 13a, 53a Management Card 13b-13n, 53a-53n Interface Card 21 LAN Data Bus 22 Management Bus 23a-23n Slot Number Generator 31 Device Management CPU 32 2-Port RAM 33 LAN Controller 35 Interrupt Controller 41 Interface CPU 42 Address converter 43 LAN interface unit 44 Interrupt generator

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A management card for managing the state of a network interface, and a plurality of interface cards having an interface connected to an external network line are mounted in a plurality of slots of a chassis in a replaceable manner, and the management card and the interface card. In a modular concentrator of a network in which the above are logically and physically connected by a backplane circuit in the chassis, the backplane circuit generates an identification value indicating the position of the slot corresponding to each slot. A slot identification value generating means for enabling the management card to be shared and accessed by the interface card, and having a plurality of areas divided corresponding to the interface card, and the management area having the plurality of areas. A shared memory for storing management information of a face card, and the interface card on the shared memory based on the identification value from the slot identification value generating means when accessing the shared memory on the interface card. A modular concentrator for a network, characterized in that it comprises means for generating the address of the corresponding area. 2. The address generation means, based on an identification value from the slot identification value generation means, with respect to a fixed external reference address set for the interface card to access the shared memory. The modular concentrator of a network according to claim 1, wherein the modular concentrator is an address converter that adds an offset of a different value for each interface card. 3. According to management information of a corresponding area of the shared memory when the interface card is inserted into the slot, whether the same type of card is inserted, a different type of card is inserted, or a new type of card is inserted. A means for determining whether or not a card of the same type is inserted, a means for setting the status to be continued by referring to the management information of the corresponding area of the shared memory in the case of inserting a card of the same type, and a card of a different type or a new In this case, the management card is provided with an interrupt request means for requesting an interrupt for card initialization, and the management card is provided with an initialization means for performing an initialization process of the interface in response to an interrupt request from the interface card. The modular concentrator of a network according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: 4. The interrupt request means generates an interrupt level for identifying whether a card of a different type is inserted or a new card is inserted together with an interrupt request, and the management card has a nest for determining an interrupt level of the interrupt request. 4. The modular concentrator of a network according to claim 3, further comprising a stage, wherein the initialization means performs initialization processing of the interface card according to the determined interrupt level.