System and method for automatically setting VLAN configuration information

• US 6,223,218 B1
• Filed: 09/04/1998
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yukihiro, Iijima, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANG, PAUL H
• Application Number:
  US09/148,513
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/255, 370/390, 370/397, 370/399, 709/225, 709/228, 709/218, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/224, 709/223, 709/229, 709/245, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/221
• 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 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration

Abstract

An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system comprising an automatic VLAN configuration information setting device and one or more switching hubs, for setting VLAN configuration information of the switching hubs, is proposed. When a terminal is added to or removed from an Ethernet port of a switching hub by the user, a VLAN alteration request section of the switching hub detects the event, and a VLAN alteration request is transmitted to the automatic VLAN configuration information setting device. In a database of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting device, VLAN detailed information concerning all the VLANs managed by the automatic VLAN configuration information setting device is stored. A VLAN configuration instruction text editing section of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting device edits a VLAN configuration instruction text (an instruction scenario) by referring to the VLAN alteration request and the VLAN detailed information. The VLAN detailed information stored in the database is updated according to the VLAN configuration instruction text, and the VLAN configuration information of the switching hub is updated according to the VLAN configuration instruction text, thereby VLAN configuration information of the switching hubs is automatically set and updated without efforts by network administrators.

Claims

1. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system comprising an automatic VLAN configuration information setting means and one or more switching hubs, wherein:

the switching hub includes;

a switching hub communication function means which is provided with one or more Ethernet ports to which terminals can be connected;

a VLAN alteration request means for generating a VLAN alteration request according to terminal connection information which is supplied from the switching hub communication function means and sending the VLAN alteration request to the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means;

a VLAN configuration information storage means for storing VLAN configuration information concerning VLANs in which the switching hub is involved;

a VLAN remote update means for receiving a VLAN remote update request which is sent from the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means and updating the VLAN configuration information stored in the VLAN configuration information storage means according to the VLAN remote update request; and

a VLAN control means for controlling the switching hub communication function means according to the VLAN configuration information which is stored in the VLAN configuration information storage means,

and the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means includes;

a VLAN alteration request receiving means for receiving the VLAN alteration request which is sent from the VLAN alteration request means of a switching hub;

a database for storing VLAN detailed information of VLANs in which the one or more switching hubs are involved;

a database search means for searching the database;

a database writing means for executing writing into the database;

a VLAN configuration instruction text editing means for editing a VLAN configuration instruction text according to the VLAN alteration request which is supplied from the VLAN alteration request receiving means and results of search for the VLAN detailed information which have been stored in the database using the database search means;

a database update means for updating the database by controlling the database writing means according to the VLAN configuration instruction text which is outputted by the VLAN configuration instruction text editing means;

a VLAN remote update request editing means for editing a VLAN remote update request which includes information about update of the VLAN configuration information which is stored in the VLAN configuration information storage means of a corresponding switching hub, by referring to the VLAN configuration instruction text which is outputted by the VLAN configuration instruction text editing means; and

a VLAN remote update request transmission means for transmitting the VLAN remote update request supplied from the VLAN remote update request editing means into the VLAN remote update means of the corresponding switching hub.

2. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the VLAN alteration request means in the switching hub includes:

a terminal movement detection means for detecting addition or removal of a terminal in the switching hub communication function means and outputting the terminal connection information concerning the addition/removal of the terminal;

a VLAN alteration request editing means for editing and outputting the VLAN alteration request according to the terminal connection information supplied from the terminal movement detection means; and

a VLAN alteration request transmission means for transmitting the VLAN alteration request outputted by the VLAN alteration request editing means into the VLAN alteration request receiving means of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means.

3. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the VLAN alteration request generated by the VLAN alteration request means of the switching hub includes:

information indicating an Ethernet port to which a terminal has been added or from which a terminal has been removed by the user;

information indicating the switching hub; and

information indicating a VLAN to which the Ethernet port is related.

4. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the VLAN configuration instruction text editing means includes a VLAN status variation means which receives input information which has been edited by the VLAN configuration instruction text editing means based on the VLAN detailed information stored in the database and the VLAN alteration request, edits the VLAN configuration instruction text according to the input information, and manages and varies the statuses of VLANs by outputting the VLAN configuration instruction text.

5. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the input information includes addition information which indicates that a terminal has been added to the switching hub.

6. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the addition information includes information indicating whether or not the VLAN designated by the VLAN alteration request has been constructed on the switching hub designated by the VLAN alteration request.

7. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the input information includes removal information which indicates that a terminal has been removed from the switching hub.

8. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the removal information includes information about the number of Ethernet ports which are provided in the switching hub designated by the VLAN alteration request and which have been registered in the VLAN designated by the VLAN alteration request.

9. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the status of the VLAN managed and varied by the VLAN status variation means is classified into:

a status indicated by a VLAN status number 0 in which the VLAN managed by the VLAN status variation means has no VLAN components which have actually been registered in the VLAN detailed information;

a status indicated by a VLAN status number 1 in which the VLAN managed by the VLAN status variation means has an Ethernet port group as a VLAN component which has actually been registered in the VLAN detailed information and the VLAN has not been constructed across two or more switching hubs; and

a status indicated by a VLAN status number 2 in which the VLAN managed by the VLAN status variation means has Ethernet port groups and LECs (Lan Emulation Clients) as VLAN components which have actually been registered in the VLAN detailed information and the VLAN has been constructed across two or more switching hubs.

10. An automatic VLAN configuration information setting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the VLAN remote update request transmission means in the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means and the VLAN remote update means in the switching hub execute communication of the VLAN remote update request according to SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol).

11. A method for automatically setting VLAN configuration information of switching hubs in a system which includes an automatic VLAN configuration information setting means and one or more switching hubs, comprising the steps of:

a terminal connection information outputting step in which a switching hub communication function means of a switching hub provided with one or more Ethernet ports outputs terminal connection information of terminals which are connected to the Ethernet ports;

a VLAN alteration request step in which a VLAN alteration request means of the switching hub generates a VLAN alteration request according to the terminal connection information supplied from the switching hub communication function means and sends the VLAN alteration request to the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means;

a VLAN alteration request receiving step in which a VLAN alteration request receiving means of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means receives the VLAN alteration request from the VLAN alteration request means of the switching hub;

a VLAN configuration instruction text editing step in which a VLAN configuration instruction text editing means of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means edits a VLAN configuration instruction text according to the VLAN alteration request and results of search of a database of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means which stores VLAN detailed information of VLANs in which the one or more switching hubs are involved;

a database update step in which a database update means of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means updates the database according to the VLAN configuration instruction text which is outputted by the VLAN configuration instruction text editing means;

a VLAN remote update request editing step in which a VLAN remote update request editing means of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means edits a VLAN remote update request which includes information about update of VLAN configuration information which is stored in a VLAN configuration information storage means of a corresponding switching hub, by referring to the VLAN configuration instruction text which is outputted by the VLAN configuration instruction text editing means;

a VLAN remote update request transmission step in which a VLAN remote update request transmission means of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means transmits the VLAN remote update request supplied from the VLAN remote update request editing means into a VLAN remote update means of the corresponding switching hub;

a VLAN remote update step in which the VLAN remote update means of the corresponding switching hub receives the VLAN remote update request from the VLAN remote update request transmission means of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means and updates the VLAN configuration information concerning VLANs in which the switching hub is involved which is stored in the VLAN configuration information storage means according to the VLAN remote update request; and

a VLAN control step in which a VLAN control means of the switching hub controls the switching hub communication function means of the switching hub according to the VLAN configuration information which is stored in the VLAN configuration information storage means.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the VLAN alteration request step includes:

a terminal movement detection step in which a terminal movement detection means of the VLAN alteration request means detects addition or removal of a terminal in the switching hub communication function means and outputs the terminal connection information concerning the addition/removal of the terminal;

a VLAN alteration request editing step in which a VLAN alteration request editing means of the VLAN alteration request means edits and outputs the VLAN alteration request according to the terminal connection information supplied from the terminal movement detection means; and

a VLAN alteration request transmission step in which a VLAN alteration request transmission means of the VLAN alteration request means transmits the VLAN alteration request outputted by the VLAN alteration request editing means into the VLAN alteration request receiving means of the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the VLAN alteration request which is generated in the VLAN alteration request step includes:

information indicating an Ethernet port to which a terminal has been added or from which a terminal has been removed by the user;

information indicating the switching hub; and

information indicating a VLAN to which the Ethernet port is related.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the VLAN configuration instruction text editing step includes:

an input information editing step in which the VLAN configuration instruction text editing means edits input information based on the VLAN detailed information stored in the database and the VLAN alteration request;

an input information inputting step in which the VLAN configuration instruction text editing means inputs the input information into its VLAN status variation means; and

a VLAN configuration instruction text outputting step in which the VLAN status variation means edits and outputs the VLAN configuration instruction text according to the input information in order to manage and vary the statuses of VLANs.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the input information includes addition information which indicates that a terminal has been added to the switching hub.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the addition information includes information indicating whether or not the VLAN designated by the VLAN alteration request has been constructed on the switching hub designated by the VLAN alteration request.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the input information includes removal information which indicates that a terminal has been removed from the switching hub.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the removal information includes information about the number of Ethernet ports which are provided in the switching hub designated by the VLAN alteration request and which have been registered in the VLAN designated by the VLAN alteration request.

19. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the status of the VLAN managed and varied by the VLAN status variation means is classified into:

a status indicated by a VLAN status number 0 in which the VLAN managed by the VLAN status variation means has no VLAN components which have actually been registered in the VLAN detailed information;

a status indicated by a VLAN status number 1 in which the VLAN managed by the VLAN status variation means has an Ethernet port group as a VLAN component which has actually been registered in the VLAN detailed information and the VLAN has not been constructed across two or more switching hubs; and

a status indicated by a VLAN status number 2 in which the VLAN managed by the VLAN status variation means has Ethernet port groups and LECs (Lan Emulation Clients) as VLAN components which have actually been registered in the VLAN detailed information and the VLAN has been constructed across two or more switching hubs.

20. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the VLAN remote update request transmission means in the automatic VLAN configuration information setting means and the VLAN remote update means in the switching hub execute communication of the VLAN remote update request according to SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol).