Network system having a gateway apparatus for momitoring a local area network

• US 5,079,765 A
• Filed: 01/03/1990
• Issued: 01/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kizou, H.
• Application Number:
  US07/460,537
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 370/85.12, 370/85.13, 370/85.1, 370/16, 370/85.4, 320/85.8, 320/91, 320/92, 320/94.1, 320/95.2, 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/825.08, 340/825.16, 340/825.17
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/26 using dedicated tools for LAN [Local Area Network] management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity

Abstract

A network system includes a local area network to which a plurality of transmission apparatuses are connected, a gateway apparatus for connecting the local area network to a wide area network, and a plurlaity of terminal adapters for connecting the local area network to communication terminal apparatuses, and a management method therefor. Each transmission apparatus sends a transmission request of management data requesting data on the operating conditions of the connected local area network, the gateway apparatus, and the terminal adapters, acquires data on the operating conditions of the other apparatuses sent in response to the transmission request, and simultaneously displays the acquired management data, so that the operating conditions of the apparatuses connected to the system can always be monitored. Even when a communication error occurs, location of the source of the error can be easily determined without arranging a special-purpose LAN monitoring apparatus.

Claims

1. A network system including:

a plurality of communication apparatuses connected to each other through a local area network; and

a gateway apparatus for connecting the local area network to another network,

wherein data transmission is carried out between said communication apparatuses via the local area network and between the local area network and the another network via said gateway apparatus,

wherein said gateway apparatus repeatedly checks whether the local area network is ready to be linked for data transmission to the another network via a data link;

wherein one of said communication apparatuses repeatedly transmits a request to said gateway apparatus for the transmission of indicating data, indicating that the local area network is ready to be linked to the another network via the data link,

wherein said gateway apparatus transmits the indicating data to said one of said communication apparatuses upon reception of the request;

wherein said one of said communication apparatuses displays data representing the condition that the local area network is ready to be linked to the another network via a data link in accordance with the indicating data transmitted from said gateway apparatus, and

wherein said gateway apparatus stores data representing the current operating condition of the data link.

2. A network system according to claim 1, wherein said one of said communication apparatuses stores the indicating data.

3. A network system according to claim 1, wherein said one of said communication apparatuses further displays the operating condition of said plurality of communication apparatuses.

4. A network system including:

a plurality of communication apparatuses connected to each other trough a local area network; and

a monitoring apparatus for monitoring the operating condition of said plurality of communication apparatuses,

wherein data transmission is carried out between said communication apparatuses via the local area network,

wherein each of said communication apparatuses repeatedly checks its operating condition;

wherein said monitoring apparatus sequentially transmits to said plurality of communication apparatuses a request for the transmission of data indicating the operating condition of each of said communication apparatuses;

wherein each of said communication apparatuses transmits indicating data indicating its operating condition to said monitoring apparatus upon reception of the request;

wherein said monitoring apparatus displays data representing the operating conditions of said plurality of communication apparatuses in accordance with the indicating data transmitted from said plurality of communication apparatuses, and

wherein each of said communication apparatuses stores the data indicating its operating condition.

5. A network according to claim 4, wherein said monitoring apparatus stores the indicating data indicating the operating conditions of said plurality of communication apparatuses.

6. A network according to claim 4, wherein said monitoring means displays data representing the operating conditions of said plurality of communication apparatuses at the same time.