Complex information platform apparatus and communication band ensuring method of the same

• US 20070177522A1
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Okitsu, Jun, Baba, Takashige, Tarui, Toshiaki, Yasuda, Yoshiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element

Abstract

There is a need for applying an appropriate QoS setting to a complex information platform apparatus capable of flexibly changing an apparatus configuration so as to ensure an intra-apparatus communication band and realize management communication independence. Multiple processing modules are combined to construct one or more processing units with different apparatus types. An apparatus template management table prepares multiple levels of setting specifications with different ensured bands for intra-apparatus communication corresponding to each apparatus type. One set of setting specification is selected from multiple levels of setting specifications prepared for an apparatus type settled at the time of configuration setting. A QoS setting management table is generated based on the selected setting specification. When the configuration is set or changed, setting verification means verifies whether or not a total of ensured bands associated with each adapter is within an allowable range. When a result is negative, the setting specification is automatically changed to another provided with a smaller ensured band. A verified setting is distributed from the QoS setting management table to an IO switch and each adapter.

Claims

1. A communication band ensuring method for a complex information platform apparatus including a plurality of processing modules, a switch for communication switching between processing modules, an adapter for connecting the processing modules with the switch, and a management module for managing these so that one or more processing units include one or more of the processing modules as constituent elements, the method comprising:

a preparation step of previously maintaining an apparatus template management table in the management module, wherein the apparatus template management table contains an ensured band for an intra-apparatus communication as a specification item correspondingly to each apparatus type for the processing unit and prescribes a plurality of levels of setting specifications provided with different ensured band values for the intra-apparatus communication;

a system configuration setting step of setting a combination of processing modules as constituent elements of a processing unit to be configured correspondingly to an apparatus number of the processing unit, setting an apparatus type of the processing unit, and selecting a setting specification for the processing unit from a plurality of levels of setting specifications for the apparatus type prescribed in the apparatus template management table;

a setting verification step of calculating a total value of ensured bands for a communication corresponding to an adapter for each processing module from a settled apparatus configuration and a selected setting specification and comparing the total value with a communication capacity for the adapter to verify applicability of the selected setting specification; and

a repetition step of, when a setting specification selected by the setting verification step is inappropriate, selecting another setting specification from the plurality of levels of setting specifications, reexecuting the setting verification step, and finally finding a setting specification in which a total value of ensured bands for a communication corresponding to an adapter for each processing module is smaller than or equal to a communication capacity of the adapter.

2. The communication band ensuring method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

extracting a communication type requiring QoS control from the apparatus template management table and generating a QoS setting management table that maintains an extracted communication type, a set of a transmission source identifier and a transmission destination identifier for identifying the communication type, and an ensured band for the communication type correspondingly to each other,

wherein an ensured band value in the QoS setting management table reflects selection of a setting specification at the system configuration setting step.

3. The communication band ensuring method according to claim 2,

wherein the setting verification step calculates a total value of ensured bands for a communication corresponding to an adapter for each processing module by totaling ensured bands for a communication type associated with a same transmission source identifier or transmission destination identifier in the QoS setting management table.

4. The communication band ensuring method according to claim 2 for a complex information platform apparatus,

wherein one of the communication types indicates a communication between the processing unit and a management module.

5. The communication band ensuring method according to claim 2 for a complex information platform apparatus,

wherein one of the communication types indicates a communication between the different processing units.

6. A complex information platform apparatus including a plurality of processing modules, a switch for communication switching between processing modules, an adapter for connecting the processing modules with the switch, and a management module for managing these so that one or more processing units include one or more of the processing modules as constituent elements,

wherein the switch routes a request based on routing information of a header contained in the request;

wherein the management module includes;

an apparatus configuration management table for maintaining correspondence between an apparatus type and an available processing module for each processing unit;

an apparatus template management table for maintaining correspondence among an apparatus type, an ensured band, and a priority;

a QoS setting management table for maintaining correspondence among a communication type uniquely determined from the apparatus configuration management table, an ensured band, and a priority;

system configuration setting means for creating the apparatus configuration management table and the apparatus template management table;

QoS table initialization means for creating the QoS setting management table;

setting verification means for verifying a setting of the QoS setting management table; and

QoS table distribution means for distributing part of the QoS setting management table to a switch and an adapter;

wherein the adapter includes;

a communication type management table for maintaining part of the QoS setting management table;

header generation means for appending routing information to a header of a request from a corresponding processing module; and

header deletion means for deleting a header of a request from the switch; and

wherein the switch includes;

a band and priority management table for maintaining correspondence among a communication type, band and priority information, and an available band as a monitoring result;

communication type specification means for specifying a communication type of the request;

available band monitoring means for monitoring an available band of a switch for each communication type and recording the available band in the band and priority management table; and

QoS control means for obtaining a current available band from the band and priority management table to ensure a band and control a priority.

7. The complex information platform apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the header generation means appends the communication type to a header.

8. The complex information platform apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the apparatus template management table maintains an ensured band and a priority of an intra-apparatus communication for each apparatus type and ensures a communication band between processing modules constituting one processing unit in accordance with the ensured band and the priority.

9. The complex information platform apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the apparatus template management table maintains an ensured band and a priority of an inter-apparatus communication for each apparatus type and ensures a communication band between the processing unit and the management module in accordance with the ensured band and the priority.

10. The complex information platform apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the apparatus template management table maintains an ensured band and a priority of an inter-apparatus communication for each apparatus type and ensures a communication band between processing modules for different processing units in accordance with the band and the priority.

11. The complex information platform apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the apparatus template management table provides each apparatus type with a plurality of levels and allows an ensured band and a priority to correspond to each level of each apparatus type;

and

wherein the apparatus configuration management table maintains correspondence between the processing unit and the level.

12. The complex information platform apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the QoS setting management table maintains a combination of each communication type and a processing module capable of uniquely specifying a communication type.