VIRTUAL NETWORK MANAGEMENT SERVER AND NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20110058560A1
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: OKITA, Hideki, Yoshizawa, Masahiro, Tanaka, Tsuyoshi, Tarui, Toshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.53
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4637 Interconnected ring systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/467 Arrangements for supporting untagged frames, e.g. port-based VLANs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/354 for supporting virtual local area networks [VLAN]

Abstract

A virtual network management server includes ring node information that manages configuration nodes for each of the rings, and ring connection I/F for each of the ring configuration nodes, generates the VLAN configuration information so as to transfer a frame that is transmitted or received by a designated gateway connection port and a designated base station connection port by the designated VLAN, and also so as to transmit or receive a tagged frame of the designated VLAN by the ring connection I/F of all of the ring to which the gateway connection switch belongs and the ring to which the base station connection switch belongs, and updates the VLAN configuration of the switch.

Claims

1. A virtual network management server that sets up a virtual network for communicating between a gateway and a base station through one or a plurality of rings in a network where a frame is transmitted and received among only a plurality of selected devices within the network by using a virtual network in which a plurality of nodes are connected to each other to configure the ring, and a communication range is virtually divided by a virtual network identifier stored in a frame header, the virtual network management server comprising:

a ring node information storage region in which the combination of a ring identifier and node identifiers of the nodes that configure the ring are stored; and

a processing unit,

wherein the processing unit designates a first node identifier of a first node that is connected with the gateway, and a second node identifier of a second node that is connected with the base station,

wherein the processing unit specifies a node identifier belonging to the same ring as that of the first node of the designated first node identifier, and a node identifier belonging to the same ring as that of the second node of the designated second node identifier with reference to the ring node information storage region, and

wherein the processing unit transmits a setup instruction for setting up the virtual network between the gateway and the base station to the respective nodes indicated by the specified node identifiers.

2. The virtual network management server according to claim 1, wherein the network is configured so that the ring that is connected with the gateway is connected directly to the ring that is connected with the base station, or the gateway and the base station are connected to the same ring.

3. The virtual network management server according to claim 1, further comprising:

a ring connection I/F information storage region in which the combination of the node identifier, the ring identifier, and two port identifiers that represent two ports used for connection of the ring indicated by the ring identifier with the node indicated by the node identifier are stored,

wherein the processing unit acquires two port identifiers based on the specified node identifier, and the ring identifier of the ring to which the designated first or second node identifier belongs with reference to the ring connection I/F information storage region, and

wherein the processing unit transmits the setup instruction including the two port identifiers for setting up the virtual network between the gateway and the base station to the ports indicated by the port identifiers to the node indicated by the node identifier.

4. The virtual network management server according to claim 3, further comprising:

a virtual network setup information storage region in which the combination of the node identifiers, the port identifiers, and one or a plurality of virtual network identifiers that is allocated to the ports indicated by the port identifiers of the node indicated by the node identifier are stored,

wherein the processing unit stores the virtual network identifier of the virtual network to be set up in the virtual network setup information storage region in correspondence with the specified node identifier and the port identifier with respect to each of the acquired two port identifiers.

5. The virtual network management server according to claim 4, wherein the virtual network setup information storage region further stores an identifier indicative of the type of the virtual network indicating whether the virtual network is tagged or untagged therein,

wherein the processing unit stores an identifier indicative of the type of the virtual network indicative of untagged in the virtual network setup information storage region with respect to a first port of the first node that is connected with the gateway, and a second port of the second node that is connected with the base station, and

wherein the processing unit stores an identifier indicative of the type of the virtual network indicative of tagged in the virtual network setup information storage region with respect to ports other than the first, port of the first node that is connected with the gateway, and the second port of the second node that is connected with the base station.

6. The virtual network management server according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit acquires ring configuration information including the node identifier and the ring identifier of one or a plurality of rings to which the node indicated by the node identifier belongs from the respective nodes that configure the network, and

wherein the processing unit stores the respective information of the ring node information storage region based on the ring configuration information from the respective nodes.

7. The virtual network management server according to claim 6, wherein the ring configuration information further includes two port information used for connection of the ring with the node, and

wherein the processing unit stores the respective information of the ring connection I/F information storage region based on the ring configuration information from the respective nodes.

8. The virtual network management server according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit inputs the virtual network identifier of the virtual network to be set up, the first node identifier of the first node that is connected with the gateway, and the second node identifier of the second node that is connected with the base station from an input unit, and

wherein the setup instruction to each node includes the input virtual network identifier.

9. The virtual network management server according to claim 3, wherein the network has one or a plurality of relay rings connected between the ring that is connected with the gateway and the ring that is connected with the base station, and has three or more stage rings existing on a path between the gateway and the base station,

wherein the virtual network management server further includes a ring type information storage region stores the combination of the ring identifier, and a ring type indicating whether the ring is an accommodation ring that accommodates the gateway or the base station, or a relay ring that conducts a relay between the accommodation rings therein,

wherein the processing unit further extracts the ring identifier indicating that the ring type of the ring type information storage region is the relay ring, specifies the node identifier that configures the ring indicated by the extracted ring identifier with reference to the ring node information storage region, acquires corresponding two port identifiers of each of the node identifiers based on the extracted ring identifier and the specified node identifier with reference to the ring connection I/F information, and transmits a setup instruction for setting up the virtual network to the ports indicated by the acquired two port identifiers to the node indicated by the specified node identifier.

10. The virtual network management server according to claim 9, wherein the processing unit inputs the ring identifier and the ring type from the input unit, and stores the ring identifier and the ring type in the ring type information storage region.

11. The virtual network management server according to claim 3, wherein the network has an pier link that is a link that overhangs from one of the nodes which configure the ring,

wherein the virtual network management server further includes an pier link information storage region in which the combination of a third node identifier of a third node that is connected with one end of the pier link, a third port identifier of a third port for pier link connection of the third node, a fourth node identifier of a fourth node that is connected with the other end of the pier link, and a fourth port identifier of a fourth port for pier link connection of the fourth node is stored, and

wherein the processing unit further, when any one of the third and fourth node identifiers of the pier link information storage region matches the second node identifier that is connected with the base station, transmits a setup instruction for setting up the virtual network to the third port indicated by the third port identifier to the third node indicated by the third node identifier, and transmits a setup instruction for setting up the virtual network to the fourth port indicated by the fourth port identifier to the fourth node indicated by the fourth node identifier.

12. The virtual network management server according to claim 11, wherein each of the setup instructions to the third node and the fourth node includes an instruction for setting up the virtual network so as to transmit or receive a tagged frame of the virtual network.

13. The virtual network management server according to claim 11, wherein one or a plurality of relay rings is connected between the pier link and the rink that is connected with the gateway,

wherein the virtual network management server further includes a ring type information storage region in which the combination of the ring identifier and the ring type indicating whether the ring is an accommodation ring that accommodates the gateway or the base station, or a relay ring that conducts a relay between the accommodation rings is stored, and

wherein the processing unit further extracts the ring identifier indicating that the ring type of the ring type information storage region is the relay ring, specifies the node identifier that configures the ring indicated by the extracted ring identifier with reference to the ring node information storage region, acquires corresponding two port identifiers for each of the node identifiers based on the extracted ring identifier and the specified node identifier with reference to the ring connection I/F information, and transmits a setup instruction for setting up the virtual network to the ports indicated by the acquired two port identifiers to the node indicated by the specified node identifier in the node indicated by the specified node identifier.

14. The virtual network management server according to claim 3, wherein the network includes at least one pier link between the ring that is connected with the gateway and the ring that is connected with the base station,

wherein the virtual network management server further includes an pier link information storage region in which the combination of a third identifier of a third node that is connected to one end of the pier link, a third port identifier of a third port for pier link connection of the node, a fourth node identifier of a fourth node that is connected to the other end of the pier link, a fourth port identifier of a fourth port for pier link connection of the node, and a rink type indicating whether the rink is the accommodation overhanging rink having the base station connected to the node of one end thereof, or the relay pier link having the rings connected to the nodes of both ends thereof is stored, and

wherein, in an entry where the link type of the pier link information storage region represents the relay overhanging rink, the virtual network management server transmits a setup instruction for setting up the virtual network to the third node indicated by the third node identifier, to the third node indicated by the third node identifier of the entry, and a setup instruction for setting up the virtual network to the fourth node indicated by the fourth node identifier, to the fourth node indicated by the fourth node identifier of the entry.

15. A network system that transmits and receives a frame among only a plurality of selected devices within the network by using a virtual network in which a communication range is virtually divided by a virtual network identifier stored in a frame header, the network system comprising:

a plurality of nodes that configures a ring; and

a virtual network management server that sets up a virtual network for communicating between a gateway and a base station through one or a plurality of rings,

wherein the virtual network management server includes;

a ring node information storage region in which the combination of a ring identifier and node identifiers of the nodes that configure the ring are stored; and

a processing unit,

wherein the processing unit designates a first node identifier of a first node that is connected with the gateway, and a second node identifier of a second node that is connected with the base station,

wherein the processing unit specifies a node identifier belonging to the same ring as that of the first node of the designated first node identifier, and a node identifier belonging to the same ring as that of the second node of the designated second node identifier with reference to the ring node information storage region, and

wherein the processing unit transmits a setup instruction for setting up the virtual network between the gateway and the base station to the respective nodes indicated by the specified node identifiers.