Virtual path configuration apparatus, virtual path configuration method, and computer product

• US 7,606,260 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Oguchi, Naoki, Kubota, Makoto, Tsuruoka, Tetsumei
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr.; Michael J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mais; Mark A
• Application Number:
  US10/779,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20040190532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 370353-354, 370/389, 370/392, 370/395.1, 370/401, 370/410, 370/422, 370/426, 370/466, 370/467, 370/473, 370/474, 370/235, 370/236, 370/464, 370/465, 370/395.31
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4675 Dynamic sharing of VLAN information amongst network nodes configuration of the network or of network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5621 Virtual private network [VPN]; Private-network - network-interface (P-NNI)
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5624 Path aspects, e.g. path bundling

Abstract

Configuration information set in one virtual path configuration apparatus is shared with all the virtual path configuration apparatuses in the virtual private network. The configuration information may be shared by transmitting the configuration information to other virtual path configuration apparatuses or receiving configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses.

Claims

1. A virtual path configuration apparatus included in each of nodes in a virtual private network to interconnect a plurality of user networks via virtual paths and that is arranged in each node, comprising:

a configuration information setting unit that includes an input device for receiving configuration information over a control network for inputting setting commands and information on ports accommodating user networks and nodes providing the ports, and that sets configuration information that is information about sets of the ports and the nodes;

a configuration information sharing unit that shares the configuration information with the other one of the virtual path configuration apparatuses included in the other one of the nodes, by transmitting the configuration information being set by the configuration information setting unit to the other virtual path configuration apparatuses over the control network, or receiving the configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses over the control network, wherein the configuration information sharing unit also includes a synchronization determination section that receives a response message over the control network to confirm each entry is synchronized with each of the other nodes; and

a virtual path configuration unit that configures the virtual paths between any combination of two of shared ports over a relay network to relay packets between user networks based on the shared configuration information.

2. The virtual path configuration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information setting unit sets additional configuration information that is information that is to be added to the configuration information set previously,

the configuration information sharing unit transmits the additional configuration information to the other virtual path configuration apparatuses and receives additional configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses, and

the virtual path configuration unit reconfigures the virtual path based on configuration information obtained by adding the additional configuration information to the configuration information set previously.

3. The virtual path configuration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information setting unit sets deletion configuration information that is information that is to be deleted from the configuration information set previously,

the configuration information sharing unit transmits the deletion configuration information to the other virtual path configuration apparatuses and receives deletion configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses, and

the virtual path configuration unit reconfigures the virtual path based on configuration information obtained by deleting the deletion configuration information from the configuration information set previously.

4. The virtual path configuration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information sharing unit monitors states of the other virtual path configuration apparatus.

5. The virtual path configuration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes information about nodes to which the user networks attach, and the virtual path configuration unit configures virtual paths between the nodes in a full mesh manner.

6. The virtual path configuration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes information about ports to which the user networks attach, and the virtual path configuration unit configures virtual paths between the ports in a full mesh manner.

7. A virtual path configuration method executed on a virtual path configuration apparatus included in each of nodes in a virtual private network for interconnecting a plurality of user networks via virtual paths and that is arranged in each node, comprising:

inputting setting commands and information on ports accommodating user networks and nodes providing the ports based on configuration information received over a control network;

setting the configuration information that is information about sets of the ports and the nodes;

transmitting the configuration information to or receiving the configuration information from other virtual path configuration apparatuses included in other one of the nodes over the control network;

sharing the configuration information with the other one of the virtual path configuration apparatuses included in the other one of the nodes over the control network, the configuration information being set by the configuration information setting unit, and determining synchronization by receiving a response message over the control network to confirm each entry is synchronized with each of the other nodes; and

configuring virtual paths between any combination of two of shared ports over a relay network to relay packets between user networks based on the shared configuration information.

8. The virtual path configuration method according to claim 7, wherein the setting includes setting additional configuration information that is information that is to be added to the configuration information set previously,

the sharing includes transmitting the additional configuration information to the other virtual path configuration apparatuses or receiving additional configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses, and

the configuring includes reconfiguring the virtual path based on configuration information obtained by adding the additional configuration information to the configuration information set previously.

9. The virtual path configuration method according to claim 7, wherein the setting includes setting deletion configuration information that is information that is to be deleted from the configuration information set previously,

the sharing includes transmitting the deletion configuration information to the other virtual path configuration apparatuses or receiving deletion configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses, and

the configuring includes reconfiguring the virtual path based on configuration information obtained by deleting the deletion configuration information from the configuration information set previously.

10. The virtual path configuration method according to claim 7, wherein the sharing includes monitoring states of the other virtual path configuration apparatus.

11. The virtual path configuration method according to claim 7, wherein the configuration information includes information about nodes to which the user networks attach, and the virtual path configuration unit configures virtual paths between the nodes in a full mesh manner.

12. The virtual path configuration method according to claim 7, wherein the configuration information includes information about ports to which the user networks attach, and the virtual path configuration unit configures virtual paths between the ports in a full mesh manner.

13. A computer readable recording medium storing instructions, which when executed by a computer in a virtual path configuration apparatus included in each of nodes in a virtual private network for interconnecting a plurality of user networks via virtual paths and that is arranged in each node, causes the computer to perform operations, comprising:

inputting setting commands and information on ports accommodating user networks and nodes providing the ports based on configuration information received over a control network;

setting the configuration information that is information about sets of the ports and the nodes;

transmitting the configuration information to or receiving the configuration information from other virtual path configuration apparatuses included in other one of the nodes over the control network;

sharing the configuration information with the other one of the virtual path configuration apparatuses included in the other one of the nodes over the control network, the configuration information being set by the configuration information setting unit, and determining synchronization by receiving a response message over the control network to confirm each entry is synchronized with each of the other nodes; and

configuring virtual paths between any combination of two of shared ports over a relay network to relay packets between user networks based on the shared configuration information.

14. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the setting includes setting additional configuration information that is information that is to be added to the configuration information set previously,

the sharing includes transmitting the additional configuration information to the other virtual path configuration apparatuses or receiving additional configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses, and

the configuring includes reconfiguring the virtual path based on configuration information obtained by adding the additional configuration information to the configuration information set previously.

15. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the setting includes setting deletion configuration information that is information that is to be deleted from the configuration information set previously,

the sharing includes transmitting the deletion configuration information to the other virtual path configuration apparatuses or receiving deletion configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses, and

the configuring includes reconfiguring the virtual path based on configuration information obtained by deleting the deletion configuration information from the configuration information set previously.

16. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the sharing includes monitoring states of the other virtual path configuration apparatus.

17. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the configuration information includes information about nodes to which the user networks attach, and the virtual path configuration unit configures virtual paths between the nodes in a full mesh manner.

18. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the configuration information includes information about ports to which the user networks attach, and the virtual path configuration unit configures virtual paths between the ports in a full mesh manner.