COMMUNICATION CONTROL APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND COMMUNICATION CONTROL METHOD

• US 20120179776A1
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: UMEZUKI, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,984,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

In a communication control apparatus, a first receiving unit receives a registration request packet which is generated so as to enable the communication control apparatus to recognize an access requested apparatus, and if determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the registration request packet exists in a network, registers first identification information identifying an access requesting apparatus which is included in the registration request packet, in a storage unit. A second receiving unit receives an explorer packet, and if determining that first identification information included in the explorer packet has been registered in the storage unit, sends second identification information identifying the own apparatus to the access requesting apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication control apparatus for controlling data communication between a first network and a second network, the communication control apparatus comprising:

a first receiving unit that receives a first packet sent from an access requesting apparatus over the first network, and upon determining that an access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network, registering first identification information included in the received first packet in a storage unit, the first packet being generated so as to include the first identification information identifying the access requesting apparatus and to enable an apparatus which receives the first packet over the first network to recognize the access requested apparatus; and

a second receiving unit that receives a second packet including the first identification information over the first network, and upon determining that the first identification information included in the received second packet is registered in the storage unit, sends second identification information identifying the own communication control apparatus to the access requesting apparatus.

2. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first receiving unit transfers the received first packet to another apparatus adjacent to the own communication control apparatus on the first network upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet does not exist in the second network; and

the first receiving unit terminates transfer of the received first packet upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network.

3. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first packet includes the first identification information encrypted with third identification information identifying the access requested apparatus; and

the first receiving unit receives the first packet, consults an apparatus list having registered therein identification information of apparatuses existing in the second network to extract the identification information, and determines that the access requested apparatus exists in the second network connected to the own communication control apparatus in a case where the first identification information included in the received first packet is successfully decrypted with the extracted identification information.

4. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first packet includes condition information indicating communication state conditions for a communication path;

the first receiving unit selects a communication path having a communication state satisfying the condition information included in the received first packet upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network; and

the second receiving unit determines the communication path selected by the first receiving unit as a communication path to communicate with the access requesting apparatus upon determining that the first identification information included in the received second packet is registered in the storage unit.

5. The communication control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet does not exist in the second network, the first receiving unit adds communication state information to the first packet and transfers the first packet, the communication state information indicating a communication state of a communication port which the first packet passed through out of communication ports of the own communication control apparatus; and

upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network, the first receiving unit detects a communication state of a communication path of the first packet on a basis of the communication state information included in the first packet, and selects the communication path having the detected communication state satisfying the condition information included in the first packet.

6. The communication control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein upon receiving the second packet through the communication path selected by the first receiving unit and determining that the first identification information included in the second packet received through the selected communication path is registered in the storage unit, the second receiving unit sends the second identification information to the access requesting apparatus through the selected communication path.

7. The communication control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the first packet includes the first identification information and the condition information which are encrypted with third identification information identifying the access requested apparatus; and

the first receiving unit receives the first packet, consults an apparatus list having registered therein identification information of apparatuses existing in the second network to extract the identification information, and determines that the access requested apparatus exists in the second network connected to the own communication control apparatus in a case where the first identification information and condition information included in the received first packet are successfully decrypted with the extracted identification information.

8. A communication system comprising:

an information processing apparatus connected to a first network; and

a plurality of communication control apparatuses connected to respective ones of other networks different from the first network for controlling data communication between the first network and said respective ones of other networks connected to the own communication control apparatuses, wherein;

the information processing apparatus comprises;

a first transmission unit that generates a first packet so as to include first identification information identifying the own information processing apparatus and to enable an apparatus which receives the first packet over the first network to recognize an access requested apparatus connected to one of said other networks, and sends the generated first packet over the first network, and

a second transmission unit that sends a second packet including the first identification information over the first network after the first packet is sent; and

one of the plurality of communication control apparatuses comprises;

a first receiving unit that receives the first packet over the first network, and upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in a second network connected to the own communication control apparatus, registers the first identification information included in the received first packet in a storage unit, and

a second receiving unit that receives the second packet over the first network, and upon determining that the first identification information included in the received second packet is registered in the storage unit, sends second identification information identifying the own communication control apparatus to the information processing apparatus.

9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein:

the first receiving unit transfers the received first packet to another apparatus adjacent to the own communication control apparatus on the first network upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet does not exist in the second network; and

the first receiving unit terminates transfer of the received first packet upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network.

10. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein:

the first transmission unit stores, in the first packet, the first identification information encrypted with third identification information identifying the access requested apparatus; and

the first receiving unit receives the first packet, consults an apparatus list having registered therein identification information of apparatuses existing in the second network to extract the identification information, and determines that the access requested apparatus exists in the second network connected to the own communication control apparatus in a case where the first identification information included in the received first packet is successfully decrypted with the extracted identification information.

11. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein:

the first transmission unit stores condition information indicating communication state conditions for a communication path in the first packet;

the first receiving unit selects a communication path having a communication state satisfying the condition information included in the received first packet upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network; and

the second receiving unit determines the communication path selected by the first receiving unit as a communication path to communicate with the information processing apparatus upon determining that the first identification information included in the received second packet is registered in the storage unit.

12. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein:

upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet does not exist in the second network, the first receiving unit adds communication state information to the first packet and transfers the first packet, the communication state information indicating a communication state of a communication port which the first packet passed through out of communication ports of the own communication control apparatus; and

upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network, the first receiving unit detects a communication state of a communication path of the first packet on a basis of the communication state information included in the first packet, and selects the communication path having the detected communication state satisfying the condition information included in the first packet.

13. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein the second transmission unit sends the second packet by multicast over the first network.

14. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein the information processing apparatus further comprises a connection request unit that uses, upon receipt of the second identification information, the received second identification information to request the communication control apparatus identified by the second identification information to connect to one of said other networks connected to the communication control apparatus.

15. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a first transmission unit that generates a first packet so as to include first identification information identifying the own information processing apparatus and to enable an apparatus which receives the first packet over a first network to recognize an access requested apparatus existing in a second network connected to one of a plurality of communication control apparatuses, and sends the first packet over a first network to which the plurality of communication control apparatuses is connected, to request registration of the first identification information; and

a second transmission unit that sends a second packet including the first identification information over the first network to search for a communication control apparatus connected to the second network after the first packet is sent; and

a connection request unit that receives second identification information identifying the communication control apparatus connected to the second network from the communication control apparatus as a response to the second packet, and uses the received second identification information to request the communication control apparatus identified by the second identification information to connect to the second network.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first transmission unit stores, in the first packet, the first identification information encrypted with third identification information identifying the access requested apparatus.

17. A communication control method for a communication control apparatus connected to a first network and a second network, the communication control method comprising:

receiving, by the communication control apparatus, a first packet sent from an access requesting apparatus over the first network, and upon determining that an access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network, registering first identification information included in the received first packet in a storage unit, the first packet being generated so as to include the first identification information identifying the access requesting apparatus and to enable an apparatus which receives the first packet over the first network to recognize the access requested apparatus; and

receiving, by the communication control apparatus, a second packet including the first identification information over the first network, and upon determining that the first identification information included in the received second packet is registered in the storage unit, sending second identification information identifying the own communication control apparatus to the access requesting apparatus.

18. The communication control method according to claim 17, wherein, upon receipt of the first packet over the first network,

the communication control apparatus transfers the received first packet to another apparatus adjacent to the own communication control apparatus on the first network upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet does not exist in the second network, and

the communication control apparatus terminates transfer of the received first packet upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network.

19. The communication control method according to claim 17, wherein:

the first packet includes the first identification information encrypted with third identification information identifying the access requested apparatus; and

the communication control apparatus receives the first packet over the first network, consults an apparatus list having registered therein identification information of apparatuses existing in the second network to extract the identification information, and determines that the access requested apparatus exists in the second network connected to the own communication control apparatus in a case where the first identification information included in the received first packet is successfully decrypted with the extracted identification information.

20. The communication control method according to claim 17, wherein:

the first packet includes condition information indicating communication state conditions for a communication path;

the communication control apparatus receives the first packet over the first network, and selects a communication path having a communication state satisfying the condition information included in the received first packet upon determining that the access requested apparatus recognized from the received first packet exists in the second network; and

the communication control apparatus receives the second packet over the first network, and determines the selected communication path as a communication path to communicate with the access requesting apparatus upon determining that the first identification information included in the received second packet is registered in the storage unit.