NETWORK SYSTEM AND SERVER

• US 20070286208A1
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kanada, Yasusi, Kodaka, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,605,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.530
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

One or more LAN switches capable of accessing the contents of a MAC address table, which the LAN switch contains, from the outside; and a presence server storing in a storage device a first correspondence table between a MAC address of a network interface, which equipment contains, and its user, and a second correspondence table between a port of the above-described LAN switch, and a physical range wired therefrom, are used to thereby obtain a correspondence table between the equipment, its user, and its physical location (range), whereby making applicable also to a wired LAN at the time of determining the location of the equipment or the location of a user using the equipment in a building, and making realizable at low cost, and allowing the location to be determined accurately within a predetermined segmented area, and not being affected even if an IP address is changed.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

a network connection device having a plurality of ports;

a network equipment connected to the network connection device via one of the plurality of ports; and

a server connected to the network connection device,

wherein the server includes a storage part for storing a first correspondence between a physical location of a connection destination of the port and an identifier of this port, and a second correspondence between a network address of the network equipment, and either of an identifier of this network equipment or an identifier of a user of this network equipment,

wherein the network connection device includes a storage part for storing a third correspondence between the identifier of the port, and the network address of the network equipment connected to this port, and

wherein the server receives the third correspondence from the network connection device and obtains a fourth correspondence between the physical location of the network equipment connected to the port, and either the identifier of this network equipment or the identifier of a user of this network equipment, based on the first, second, and third correspondences.

2. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a computer connected to the network connection device,

wherein the computer includes a receiver for receiving the fourth correspondence from the server, and a display part for displaying the received fourth correspondence.

3. The network system according to claim 2,

wherein the display part displays a map showing a location of the network equipment, based on the fourth correspondence, and further displays the identifier of this network equipment or the identifier of a user of this network equipment, in the vicinity of the location of the network equipment on this map.

4. The network system according to claim 1,

wherein the server is an equipment management server,

wherein in a storage part of the server, a fifth correspondence between the identifier of the network equipment and management information of this network equipment is stored, and

wherein the server further includes a display part which, based on the fourth and fifth correspondences, displays a map showing the location of the network equipment and the management information of this network equipment, in the vicinity of the location of the network equipment on this map.

5. The network system according to claim 1,

wherein the network connection device is a LAN switch, the network address is a MAC address, and the third correspondence is a MAC address table.

6. The network system according to claim 1,

wherein to the port of the network connection device, a logically independent virtual network identified by a virtual network identifier is assigned, and

wherein in the first and third correspondences, the virtual network identifier is used in place of the identifier of the port.

7. The network system according to claim 6,

wherein the network connection device is a VLAN switch, and the third correspondence is a MAC address table.

8. The network system according to claim 1,

wherein the server receives the third correspondence from the network connection device when a connection between the port and the network equipment is established or disabled.

9. The network system according to claim 8,

wherein the network connection device transmits an SNMP linkup trap when the connection between the port and the network equipment is established, and transmits an SNMP linkdown trap to the server when the above connection is disabled.

16. The network system according to claim 5,

wherein to the LAN switch, an access point of a wireless network is further connected,

wherein when the network equipment is connected to the LAN switch via the access point, a location of a connection destination of the port is within a range where this access point can make a wireless connection.

10. A network system comprising:

a network connection device having a plurality of ports;

a network equipment connected to the network connection device via one of the plurality of ports;

a server connected to the network connection device; and

further an authentication server connected to the network connection device,

wherein the server includes a storage part for storing a first correspondence between a physical location of a connection destination of the port, and an identifier of this port, and

wherein the network connection device receives authentication information transmitted from the network equipment to the authentication server, the authentication information including an identifier of a user of the network equipment, from a port, to which the network equipment is connected, and transmits this authentication information from the second other port to the authentication server, and

further transmits a second correspondence between an identifier of a user contained in the authentication information and an identifier of a port that received the authentication information, from the first other port to the server, and

wherein the sever obtains a third correspondence between a physical location of the network equipment connected to the port and an identifier of this network equipment, based on the first and second correspondences.

11. The network system according to claim 10,

wherein the network connection device is a LAN switch,

wherein as a transmission protocol of the authentication information from the network equipment to the LAN switch, IEEE 802.1X is used, and

wherein as the authentication information transmission protocol from the LAN switch to the authentication server, RADIUS is used.

12. A network system comprising:

a network connection device having a plurality of ports; and

a network equipment connected to the network connection device via one of the plurality of ports;

a server connected to the network connection device; and

further an authentication server connected to the network connection device,

wherein the server includes a storage part for storing a first correspondence between a physical location of a connection destination of the port, and an identifier of this port,

wherein the network connection device receives authentication information transmitted from the network equipment to the authentication server, the authentication information including an identifier of a user of the network equipment and a network address of this network equipment, and transmits this authentication information to the authentication server, and

further transmits to the server a second correspondence between an identifier of a user contained in the authentication information and the network address, and

further transmits to the server a third correspondence between the network address and an identifier of a port that received the authentication information,

wherein the sever obtains a fourth correspondence between a physical location of the network equipment connected to the port and an identifier of this network equipment, based on the first, second, and third correspondences.

13. The network system according to claim 12,

wherein the network connection device is a LAN switch,

wherein the network address is an IP address,

wherein the server, when the IP address is distributed from a DHCP server to the network equipment, receives from the DHCP server a correspondence between this IP address which the DHCP server generates, and a MAC address of the network equipment, and

obtains the fourth correspondence based on a correspondence between the IP address and the MAC address in addition to the first, second, and third correspondences.

14. A network system comprising:

a network connection device having a plurality of ports;

a thin client connected to the network connection device via one of the plurality of ports;

a server connected to the network connection device;

an authentication server connected to the server; and

a computer that processes a user input in the thin client, the computer being connected to the authentication server and to the thin client,

wherein the server includes a storage part for storing a first correspondence between a physical location of a connection destination of the port, and an identifier of this port,

wherein the thin client transmits authentication information including a network address of this thin client and an identifier of a user of this thin client, to the authentication server via the computer,

wherein the authentication server transmits to the server a second correspondence between the network address of the thin client and the identifier of a user of this thin client, the identifier of a user being obtained from the authentication information,

wherein the network connection device transmits to the server a third correspondence between the network address of the thin client and an identifier of a port, to which the thin client is connected, and

wherein the server obtains a fourth correspondence between the physical location of the thin client and the identifier of a user of this thin client, based on the first, second, and third correspondences.

15. A network system comprising:

a network connection device having a plurality of ports;

a network equipment connected to the network connection device via one of the plurality of ports;

a server connected to the network connection device; and

an application server connected to the network equipment and the server,

wherein the server includes a storage part for storing a first correspondence between a physical location of a connection destination of the port, and an identifier of the respective ports,

wherein the network equipment transmits to the application server a message including a network address of this network equipment and an identifier of a user of this network equipment,

wherein the application server transmits to the server a second correspondence between the network address and the user identifier obtained based on the message,

wherein the network connection device transmits to the server a third correspondence between the network address of the network equipment and an identifier of a port, to which the network equipment is connected, and

wherein the sever obtains a fourth correspondence between the physical location of the network equipment connected to the port and the identifier of this network equipment, based on the first, second, and third correspondences.

17. A network system comprising:

a network connection device having a plurality of ports;

an IP telephone connected to the network connection device via one of the plurality of ports; and

a server connected to the network connection device,

wherein the server includes a storage part for storing a first correspondence between a telephone number assigned to the port and an identifier of this port, and a second correspondence between a network address of the IP telephone connected to the port and an identifier of a user of this IP telephone,

wherein the network connection device transmits to the server a third correspondence between the network address of the IP telephone and the identifier of a port, to which the IP telephone is connected, and

wherein the server, based on the first, second, and third correspondences, obtains a fourth correspondence between the IP telephone and the telephone number and transmits to this IP telephone a telephone number allocation instruction including the telephone number.

18. A server connected to a network connection device having a plurality of ports,

wherein a network equipment is connected to the network connection device via one of the plurality of ports, the server comprising:

a storage part for storing a first correspondence between a physical location of a connection destination of the port and an identifier of this port, and a second correspondence between a network address of the network equipment, and either an identifier of this network equipment or an identifier of a user of this network equipment;

a receiver for receiving a third correspondence between the identifier of the port, and the network address of the network equipment connected to this port, from the network connection device; and

a controller for obtaining a fourth correspondence between the physical location of the network equipment connected to the port, and either the identifier of this network equipment or the identifier of a user of this network equipment, based on the first, second, and third correspondences.