Communication system, communication method, server equipment, and communication equipment

• US 9,185,010 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2011
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Torigoe, Keisuke, Hidaka, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Smarth, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/580,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/20 the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/15 Interconnection of switching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3036 Shared queuing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/55 Prevention, detection or correction of errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A communication equipment notifies a server equipment of a communication port to which a communication cable is connected. If another communication port as a connection partner of the notified communication port is not yet connected to the communication cable, the server equipment transmits a first notification instruction to another communication equipment having the said another communication port. The said another communication equipment indicates, in a viewable manner, a communication port corresponding to the first notification instruction as a communication port to which the communication cable is required to be connected.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of communication equipments; and

a server equipment communicatively connected to each of said plurality of communication equipments,

wherein each of said plurality of communication equipments comprises;

a communication port to which a communication cable is connected in a detachable manner;

a connection notification transmitting unit configured to transmit, to said server equipment, communication port identification information for identifying said communication port to which said communication cable is connected; and

a first notification unit configured to indicate, in a viewable manner, a communication port corresponding to a first notification instruction received from said server equipment as a communication port to which the communication cable is required to be connected,

wherein said server equipment comprises;

a connection configuration information storage unit configured to store connection configuration information indicating a correspondence relationship between a pair of communication ports expected to be connected with each other through said communication cable and a connection status of said pair of communication ports and said communication cable; and

a first notification instruction transmitting unit configured to refer to said connection configuration information corresponding to said communication port identification information received from any of said plurality of communication equipments, and to transmit, if another communication port of said pair of communication ports other than the communication port corresponding to said communication port identification information is not yet connected to said communication cable, said first notification instruction for identifying said another communication port to a communication equipment having said another communication port,

wherein said server equipment further comprises a second warning information output unit.

2. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein said server equipment further comprises a first warning information output unit, and

wherein if connection configuration information corresponding to said communication port identification information received from any of said plurality of communication equipments is not stored in said connection configuration information storage unit, said first warning information output unit outputs, in a viewable manner, first warning information representing that said communication cable is erroneously connected to a communication port corresponding to said communication port identification information.

3. The communication system according to claim 2,

wherein each of said plurality of communication equipments further comprises:

a connection notification transmitting unit configured to transmit said communication port identification information to said communication cable; and

a communication confirmation notification transmitting unit configured to transmit, if another communication port identification information transmitted from a connection notification transmitting unit of another communication equipment is received through said communication cable, communication confirmation notification including said communication port identification information and said another communication port identification information to said server equipment,

wherein said server equipment further comprises a second warning information output unit, and

wherein if said connection configuration information including said communication port identification information and said another communication port identification information received from any of said plurality of communication equipments is stored in said connection configuration information storage unit and said communication confirmation notification is not received, said second warning information output unit outputs, in a viewable manner, second warning information representing communication error between said communication port and said another communication port.

4. The communication system according to claim 2,

wherein each of said plurality of communication equipments comprises a data amount transmitting unit configured to transmit, to said server equipment, amount of data transmitted through said communication port and to transmit, to said server equipment, amount of data received through said communication port, and

wherein said server equipment comprises a failure detection unit configured to detect, based on said amount of data transmitted and said amount of data received, that communication through said communication port is in abnormal state.

5. The communication system according to claim 2,

wherein said first notification unit comprises:

a plurality of light emitting units provided with respect to a plurality of communication ports; and

a light emission control unit configured to activate said light emitting unit provided with respect to a communication port identified by the communication port identification information included in said first notification instruction received from said server equipment.

6. The server equipment used in the communication system according to claim 2.

7. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein each of said plurality of communication equipments further comprises:

a connection notification transmitting unit configured to transmit said communication port identification information to said communication cable; and

a communication confirmation notification transmitting unit configured to transmit, if another communication port identification information transmitted from a connection notification transmitting unit of another communication equipment is received through said communication cable, communication confirmation notification including said communication port identification information and said another communication port identification information to said server equipment,

and

wherein if said connection configuration information including said communication port identification information and said another communication port identification information received from any of said plurality of communication equipments is stored in said connection configuration information storage unit and said communication confirmation notification is not received, said second warning information output unit outputs, in a viewable manner, second warning information representing communication error between said communication port and said another communication port.

8. The communication system according to claim 7,

wherein said server equipment further comprises a notification information output unit, and

wherein if said connection configuration information including said communication port identification information and said another communication port identification information received from any of said plurality of communication equipments is stored in said connection configuration information storage unit and said communication confirmation notification is received, said notification information output unit outputs notification information representing that said communication cable is correctly connected between said communication port and said another communication port.

9. The communication system according to claim 8,

wherein each of said plurality of communication equipments comprises a data amount transmitting unit configured to transmit, to said server equipment, amount of data transmitted through said communication port and to transmit, to said server equipment, amount of data received through said communication port, and

wherein said server equipment comprises a failure detection unit configured to detect, based on said amount of data transmitted and said amount of data received, that communication through said communication port is in abnormal state.

10. The communication system according to claim 8,

wherein said first notification unit comprises:

a plurality of light emitting units provided with respect to a plurality of communication ports; and

a light emission control unit configured to activate said light emitting unit provided with respect to a communication port identified by the communication port identification information included in said first notification instruction received from said server equipment.

11. The communication system according to claim 7,

wherein each of said plurality of communication equipments comprises a data amount transmitting unit configured to transmit, to said server equipment, amount of data transmitted through said communication port and to transmit, to said server equipment, amount of data received through said communication port, and

wherein said server equipment comprises a failure detection unit configured to detect, based on said amount of data transmitted and said amount of data received, that communication through said communication port is in abnormal state.

12. The communication system according to claim 7,

wherein said first notification unit comprises:

a plurality of light emitting units provided with respect to a plurality of communication ports; and

a light emission control unit configured to activate said light emitting unit provided with respect to a communication port identified by the communication port identification information included in said first notification instruction received from said server equipment.

13. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein each of said plurality of communication equipments comprises a data amount transmitting unit configured to transmit, to said server equipment, amount of data transmitted through said communication port and to transmit, to said server equipment, amount of data received through said communication port, and

wherein said server equipment comprises a failure detection unit configured to detect, based on said amount of data transmitted and said amount of data received, that communication through said communication port is in abnormal state.

14. The communication system according to claim 13,

wherein said server equipment further comprises:

a second notification instruction transmitting unit configured to transmit, if the communication through said communication port being in abnormal state is detected, second notification instruction including communication port identification information for identifying said communication port to the communication equipment having said communication port, and

wherein each of said plurality of communication equipments further comprises;

a second notification unit configured to output, in a viewable manner, that a state of said communication port identified by the communication port identification information included in said second notification instruction received from said server equipment is abnormal state.

15. The communication system according to claim 14,

wherein said first notification unit comprises:

a plurality of light emitting units provided with respect to a plurality of communication ports; and

a light emission control unit configured to activate said light emitting unit provided with respect to a communication port identified by the communication port identification information included in said first notification instruction received from said server equipment.

16. The communication system according to claim 13,

wherein said first notification unit comprises:

a plurality of light emitting units provided with respect to a plurality of communication ports; and

a light emission control unit configured to activate said light emitting unit provided with respect to a communication port identified by the communication port identification information included in said first notification instruction received from said server equipment.

17. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein said first notification unit comprises:

a plurality of light emitting units provided with respect to a plurality of communication ports; and

a light emission control unit configured to activate said light emitting unit provided with respect to a communication port identified by the communication port identification information included in said first notification instruction received from said server equipment.

18. The server equipment used in the communication system according to claim 1.

19. The communication equipment used in the communication system according to claim 1.

20. A communication method comprising:

retaining, by a server equipment, connection configuration information indicating a correspondence relationship between a pair of communication ports expected to be connected with each other through a communication cable and a connection status of said pair of communication ports and said communication cable;

transmitting, by a communication equipment, communication port identification information for identifying a communication port to which said communication cable is connected, to said server equipment,

referring, by said server equipment, to the connection configuration information corresponding to said communication port identification information and transmitting, if another communication port of said pair of communication ports other than the communication port corresponding to said communication port identification information is not yet connected to said communication cable, a first notification instruction for identifying said another communication port to another communication equipment having said another communication port;

indicating in a viewable manner, by said another communication equipment, said another communication port corresponding to said first notification instruction as a communication port to which the communication cable is required to be connected;

transmitting, by said communication equipment, said communication port identification information to said communication cable; and

transmitting, by said communication equipment, if another communication port identification information transmitted from a connection notification transmitting unit of another communication equipment is received through said communication cable, communication confirmation notification including said communication port identification information and said another communication port identification information to said server equipment,

wherein said server equipment further comprises a second warning information output unit, and

wherein if said connection configuration information including said communication port identification information and said another communication port identification information received from the communication equipment is stored in said connection configuration information storage unit and said communication confirmation notification is not received, said second warning information output unit outputs, in a viewable manner, second warning information representing communication error between said communication port and said another communication port.

21. A server equipment connectable to a plurality of communication equipments, each of which has a communication port connectable to a communication cable, said server equipment comprising:

storage means for storing connection configuration information indicating a connection relation of a pair of communication ports,

first means for specifying said pair of communication ports connected by a communication cable based on the connection configuration information; and

second means for transmitting a connection instruction to said communication equipment such that said communication cable is connected with said communication port corresponding to the specified pair of communication ports,

wherein a connection instructing means of said communication equipment determines whether the connection configuration information include information of said pair of communication ports, based on the connection of said communication cable with one of said communication ports of said pair, and when the connection configuration information does not include the information of said pair of communication ports, said connection instructing means receives the connection instruction from said server equipment which is operable to transmit warning information to said communication equipment, and changes a display state of a display unit in response to the connection instruction.

22. The server equipment according to claim 21, wherein said second means is operable to transmit the connection instruction to said communication equipment based on the connection of said connection cable with a first communication port of said pair of communication ports such that said communication cable is connected with a second communication port of said pair of communication ports.

23. The server equipment according to claim 21, wherein said second means is operable to determine whether the connection configuration information include information of said pair of communication ports based on the connection of said communication cable with said communication port of said pair.

24. The server equipment according to claim 21, wherein said second means is operable to determine whether the connection configuration information include information of said pair of communication ports based on the connection of said communication cable with said communication port of said pair, and to transmit warning information to said communication equipment, when the connection configuration information does not include the information of said pair of communication ports.

25. The server equipment according to claim 21, wherein said second means is operable to detect the connection of said communication cable to said first and second communication ports, and to transmit warning information to said communication equipment based on a communication situation between said first and second communication ports.

26. The server equipment according to claim 21, wherein said second means is operable to change a display state of a display unit of said communication equipment in response to the connection instruction.

27. A communication equipment comprising:

a communication port connectable with a communication cable; and

connection instructing means configured to receive a connection instruction from a server equipment which has connection configuration information indicating a connection relation between a pair of communication ports, such that said communication cable is connected with said communication ports of said pair, and to change a display state of a display unit in response to the connection instruction,

wherein said connection instructing means determines whether the connection configuration information include information of said pair of communication ports, based on the connection of said communication cable with one of said communication ports of said pair, and when the connection configuration information does not include the information of said pair of communication ports, said connection instructing means receives the connection instruction from said server equipment which is operable to transmit warning information to said communication equipment, and changes a display state of a display unit in response to the connection instruction.

28. The communication equipment according to claim 27, wherein said connection instructing means receives the connection instruction from said server equipment based on the connection of said connection cable to a first communication port of said pair of communication ports, such that said communication cable is connected with a second communication port of said pair of communication ports, and changes a display state of a display unit in response to the connection instruction.

29. The communication equipment according to claim 27, wherein said connection instructing means receives the connection instruction from said server equipment, which is operable to determine whether the connection configuration information include information of said pair of communication ports, based on the connection of said connection cable with one of said communication ports of said pair, and changes a display state of a display unit in response to the connection instruction.

30. The communication equipment according to claim 27, further comprising notifying means configured to notify a communication situation between a first communication port and a second communication port to said server equipment which detects the connection of said communication cable to said first and second communication ports.

31. A control method of a server equipment connectable with a plurality of communication equipments, each of which has a communication port connectable with a communication cable, said control method comprising:

storing connection configuration information indicating a connection relation between a pair of communication ports;

specifying said pair of communication ports connected with said communication cable based on the connection configuration information;

transmitting a connection instruction to said communication equipment such that said communication cable is connected with a communication port of said specified pair of communication ports; and

determining, by the communication equipment, whether the connection configuration information includes information of said pair of communication ports, based on the connection of said communication cable with one of said communication ports of said pair, and when the connection configuration information does not include the information of said pair of communication ports, said communication equipment receiving the connection instruction from said server equipment which is operable to transmit warning information to said communication equipment, and changes a display state of a display unit in response to the connection instruction.