Packet repeater machine and packet relay method

• US 6,667,974 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Shigeta, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, CHIRAG G
• Application Number:
  US09/501,143
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 370/428, 370/429, 370/465, 370/466, 370/471, 370/389, 370/392, 370/501, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The packet repeater machine in accordance with the present invention comprises a forward table, a forward destination registration part and a header conversion part. The forward table stores the relationship between the forward origination address and the forward destination address. The forward destination registration part registers the forward origination address and the forward destination address to the forward information storage means based on the input information from outside. The header conversion part compares a destination address, which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from a first network to a second network, and the forward origination address registered in the forward information storage means, and, if these addresses match, convert the destination address to the forward destination address. The packet repeater machine of the present invention executes processing for switching addresses as a part of packet relay processing. Therefore processing for forwarding a data packet, which is addressed to a standby system server machine, to an active system server machine, can be easily executed.

Claims

1. A packet repeater machine comprising:

forward information storage for storing a relationship between a forward origination address and a forward destination address;

a forward register for registering said forward origination address and said forward destination address to said forward information storage based on input information from outside, wherein said input information includes forward origination address information, forward destination address information, and input type information indicating the distinction between a forward registration and deletion of registration; and

a header converter for converting a destination address to said forward destination address when said destination address which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from a first network to a second network, matches said forward origination address registered in said forward information storage,

wherein said forward register further comprises an eraser for deleting registration corresponding to said forward origination address information from said forward information storage when said input type information indicates said deletion of registration; and

a rewriter for rewriting said forward information storage so that said forward destination address of the registration corresponding to said forward origination address information becomes an address indicating said forward destination address information when said input type information indicates said forward registration and registration has already been executed.

2. A packet repeater machine comprising:

forward information storage for storing a relationship between a forward origination address and a forward destination address;

a forward register for registering said forward origination address and said forward destination address to said forward information storage based on input information from outside;

a header converter for converting a destination address to said forward destination address when said destination address which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from a first network to a second network, matches said forward origination address registered in said forward information storage;

conversion information storage for storing conversion information indicating the relationship between the address for said first network and the address for said second network in each terminal machine connected to said second network, wherein said conversion information storage stores said forward origination address as an address for said first network and stores said forward destination address as an address for said second network;

an address converter for converting a destination address to an address for said second network when said destination address, which is stored in a packet transmitted from said first network to said second network, is an address for said first network;

a rewriter for rewriting an address for said second network stored in said conversion information storage to an address for said second network indicating said forward destination address based on input information from outside; and

recovery information storage for storing stored information in said conversion information storage before being rewritten by said rewriter as recovery information.

3. The packet repeater machine according to claim 2, wherein said recovery information includes an address for said second network as said forward origination address, an address for said first network as said forward origination address, and an address for said second network as said forward destination address.

4. The packet repeater machine according to claim 3, wherein said rewriter further comprises a return converter for returning the address for said second network stored in said conversion information storage to the address before registration using said recovery information when said input information includes input type information to indicate a deletion of registration.

5. The packet repeater machine according to claim 2, wherein the forward register comprises an address register for registering said forward origination address and said forward destination address in said forward information storage for each step of packet forward when the packet forward is cyclical.

6. The packet repeater machine according to claim 5, wherein said header converter executes a chain of operations to convert a destination address stored in a packet to said forward destination address.

14. The packet repeater machine according to claim 2, wherein said header converter further rewrites said destination address rewritten by said address converter.

15. The packet repeater machine according to claim 2, wherein said address converter comprises a reverse-converter for converting a transmission origination address to an address for said first network, when said transmission origination address, which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from said second network to said first network, is an address for said second network.

16. The packet repeater machine according to claim 2, wherein said header converter comprises a reverse converter for converting a transmission origination address to said forward origination address when said transmission origination address, which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from said second network to said first network, matches with said forward destination address registered in said forward information storage.

7. A packet relay method comprising the steps of:

registering said forward origination address and said forward destination address in the forward information storage based on input information from outside, wherein said input information includes forward origination address information, forward destination address information, and input type information to indicate a distinction between a forward registration and deletion of registration; and

executing header conversion processing for converting a destination address to said forward destination address when said destination address, which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from the first network to the second network, matches with said forward origination address registered in said forward information storage,

wherein said registration step includes a step of deleting registration corresponding to said forward origination address from said forward information storage when said input type information indicates said deletion of registration, and a step of rewriting said forward information storage when said input type information indicates said forward registration and registration has already been executed, so that said forward destination address of the registration corresponding to said forward origination address information becomes the address indicated by said forward destination address information.

8. The packet relay method according to claim 7, wherein said header conversion processing includes a step of reverse-converting a transmission origination address to said forward origination address when said transmission origination address, which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from said second network to said first network, matches said forward destination address registered in said forward information storage.

9. A packet relay method comprising the steps of:

registering said forward origination address and said forward destination address in the forward information storage based on first input information from outside;

executing header conversion processing for converting a destination address to said forward destination address when said destination address, which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from the first network to the second network, matches with said forward origination address registered in said forward information storage;

executing address conversion processing to convert a destination address to an address for said second network using conversion information storage when said destination address, which is stored in the packet to be transmitted from said first network to said second network, is an address for said first network, wherein said conversion information storage stores said forward origination address as an address for said first network, and stores said forward destination address as an address for said second network;

rewriting an address for said second network stored in said conversion information storage to the address for said second network indicating said forward destination address, based on second input information from outside; and

storing the information stored in said conversion information storage, before being rewritten by said rewriting step, in the recovery information storage as recovery information.

10. The packet relay method according to claim 9, wherein said recovery information includes an address for said second network as said forward origination address, an address for said first network as said forward origination address and an address for said second network as said forward destination address.

11. The packet relay method according to claim 10, wherein said rewriting step includes a step of returning an address for said second network stored in said conversion information storage back to the address before registration using said memory recovery information when input type information to indicate a deletion of registration is included in said input information.

12. The packet relay method according to claim 9, wherein said registration step includes a step of registering said forward origination address and said forward destination address to said forward information storage for each step of the packet forward when the forward is cyclic.

13. The packet relay method according to claim 12, wherein said header conversion processing executes a chain of operation to convert the destination address stored in the packet to said forward destination address.

17. The packet relay method according to claim 9, wherein said header conversion processing includes a step of further rewriting said destination address rewritten by said address conversion processing.

18. The packet relay method according to claim 9, wherein said address conversion processing includes a step of reverse-converting a transmission origination address to an address for said first network when said transmission origination address, which is stored in a packet to be transmitted from said second network to said first network, is an address for said second network.