The present application claims priority from Japanese application JP 2011-083246 filed on Apr. 5, 2011, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
The present invention relates to a network configuration for monitoring connectivity of a communication line that strides over a packet communication network in different manager and a method for controlling the network configuration.
Recently, Ethernet (trademark) rapidly becomes widespread not only in a LAN (Local Area Network) area but also in a carrier network such as a wide-area Ethernet service. However, as compared to other protocols used in conventional transmission networks such as an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), an OAM (Operation Administration and Maintenance) function is not defined with respect to a packet communication protocol starting with Ethernet. Therefore, maintenance and management functions thereof have been addressed.
Recently, in ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.) as a standard-setting organization, discussions about the maintenance and management functions are performed. At this time, ITU-T recommendation Y.1731 (Non Patent Literature 1) and IEEE 802. lag (Non Patent Literature 2) are specified and an OAM function for Ethernet is introduced. In addition, specifications of a path switching (protection) system G 8031 (Non Patent Literature 3) using an OAM function are also completed.
Through the process, since maintenance and management are enabled with regard to communication service in an Ethernet network, practical application of the OAM function starts in a packet communication network including Ethernet. Ethernet is usually applied to a LAN owned by an individual user or a corporate user in many cases. Since Ethernet has the maintenance and management functions, an operation thereof is taken notice of also in infrastructure services presented by a carrier. Also about a customer station equipment installed in a user's home, introduction of Ethernet OAM (hereinafter, referred to as Ethernet OAM) is studied.
Conventionally, a carrier has presented services for establishing a relay network between user's sites through a common carrier leased line or L2-VPN (Layer 2 Virtual Private Network) service. The user of this case may be mainly a corporate user such as a corporate, in many cases. A corporate user has a plurality of sites according to a size of a business such as a headquarters office and a branch office in many cases and mutually performs communication between sites by using a common carrier leased line or L2-VPN service presented by a carrier. When using the services, a corporate user easily shares servers and files as a merit between a plurality of sites. In addition, a network can be established dispersedly into a headquarters office and a data center in consideration of diversification of risk at the time of disaster.
In services for establishing a relay network for connecting both sites of users at these places separated geographically, a band guarantee is performed in accordance with a contract with a user in the relay network presented by a carrier. An access network provider that presents an infrastructure near a user for communication between sites mutually separated, or a carrier that presents a core network for connecting both of access networks strides over a plurality of networks in different managers. Therefore, it is difficult to perform monitoring from end to end between devices used by users.
Along with standardization of the above-described Ethernet OAM, maintenance and management can be performed in a protocol of a Layer 2 (hereinafter, referred to as an L2). Further, an access network provider moves from a common carrier leased line device with high cost to a packet communication device. As described above, when both of an access network and a core network are connected through a packet communication device, connection for consistently managing them is conventionally difficult; however, can be easily established. Concretely, a carrier that presents a core network installs a remote device in a user site. Further, a method for managing the entire communication between user sites over an access network provider is being introduced.
When a large-scale network between users is presented up to now, a communications carrier such as a carrier pays reasonable cost according to a scale of the network to establish it. Recently, a case of using an access network presented by other companies increases to enlarge an area of the L2-VPN service. The above-described cost reduction is achieved by using an area network established by a regional agent being an access network provider. When a communications carrier uses another company's network as a relay network, it is necessary to monitor the normality of and to perform maintenance for the lines from end to end in the other company's network as well as the network managed by this carrier. To monitor the lines from end to end, it is necessary to install a terminal device that has been prepared by the communications carrier in a user's home that uses an L2-VPN service. The terminal device is installed in a user's home, so it must perform remote control via the other company's network, and the method of that remote control must be addressed. Further, in case of trouble due to a terminal failure or a communication path error, there is the possibility that a trouble is detected not only from a device of a communications carrier such as a carrier but also from devices of other companies and unnecessary malfunction reports are congested. To solve the problems, a burden onto user traffic is relieved by identifying a failure segment effectively and reducing unnecessary malfunction reports.
Terminal devices capable of terminating a CCM frame or other OAM signal are installed in user's bases, and the normality is monitored from end to end between bases. Further, a control device that controls the terminal devices is installed in the VLAN network used by the user, and remote control of the terminal devices is achieved by the controller. Table information held by the controller is managed collectively under the leadership of an operator, and information on the subordinate terminal devices connected to the controller is reported to the operator based on results of MAC learning by the controller. IDs managed by the carrier are specified in connectivity monitoring segments by the operator, and connectivity can be monitored in units of segments.
According to the present invention, remote control of each terminal device can be achieved via the controller from a MAC address learnt by the controller under the leadership of the operator. The operator can set a subordinate relationship of the terminal device via the controller. Further, the operator can set IDs of the connectivity monitoring segments of connecting a master terminal device and a slave terminal device, and those of connecting the controller and each terminal device. The operator can manage and prepare collectively a table indicating connection information between respective terminal devices that make a connection between bases in the L2-VPN service area and that indicating connection information between the controller and respective terminal devices. Based on the above, the operator can confirm the normality of not only a main signal route through which a user frame flows, but also a control route. Through the apparent connectivity monitoring segments, when a terminal failure in case of trouble or a failure portion at the time of a communication path error is easily identified and unnecessary malfunction reports are reduced, the operator can relieve a burden onto user traffic.
Hereinafter, with reference to drawings, configurations and operations of a network according to the present invention will be described by using as an example an Ethernet OAM configuration specified by ITU recommendation Y. 1731 (Non Patent Literature 1) and operations thereof.
The terminal device is, for example, a device that terminates an OAM signal of a CCM (Continuity Check Message) frame to be used inside a base of the user or outside a base of the user. In the present embodiment, the terminal device is arranged inside the base of the user and further may be arranged outside a base near to the base of the user.
A terminal device installed at each site is connected to an edge device 20 such as an L2 switch arranged at an edge of the relaying L2-VPN network 10, and performs communication in a network under setting of ULAN, if needed.
Here, the edge device 20, the Box-M40, and the Box-S31 are, for example, devices owned by a carrier being a communications carrier. A usage pattern that the Box-M40 and the Box-S31 are lent to the user by the carrier and installed in a user's home or station is supposed. Further, a network between the edge device 20 and a terminal device such as the Box-M40 or the Box-S31 may be configured by a network managed by a regional agent other than a carrier such as an access network provider. Further, a network interposed by the edge device may be considered as a network managed by a carrier. About the fact that who manages which part of the network of
In
At the beginning, the operator registers devices and performs a controller registration work 3100. The operator registers the controller and a user VLAN ID in a table 4010 illustrated in
Next, a device registration and a Box-M/S registration work 3200 are performed. An M/S (Master/Slave) setting and registration of Box-M/Box-S devices illustrated in a table 4030 of
In a table 4040 of
Three Boxes belong to the user VLAN ID B, and the SNs are S000, 5004, and S005. Further, a Box with the SN of S000 and the MAC address of MAC 100 is registered as the Box-M(40), and a Box with the SN of S004 and the MAC address of MAC 500 is registered as the Box-S4 (31D). Similarly, a Box with the SN of S005 and the MAC address of MAC 600 is registered as the Box-S5 (31E)
Next, setting of line parameters and setting of the connectivity monitoring 3300 are performed. A table 4050 of
Similarly, the Box-S4 (31D) (the SN is S004 and the MAC address is MAC500) and the Box-S5 (31E) (the SN is S005 and the MAC address is MAC600) are connected under the Box-M40 (the SN is S000 and the MAC address is MAC100) belonging to the user VLAN IDB.
In setting of the line parameters and setting of the connectivity monitoring 3300, a line ID, a terminal ID (Box-S side), a terminal ID (Box-M side), and valid/invalid setting of the connectivity monitoring are performed in a column of an ID in a table 4050 of
About connectivity monitoring results in the case where
In this case, the CCM (Continuity Check Message) frame used for connectivity monitoring in an Ethernet OAM may be applied.
In the case where a multicast CCM frame is transmitted, for example, a multicast MAC address for the OAM frame specified by non patent literature 1 is used. When this multicast MAC address is used, the terminal device receiving an Eth-CC signal confirms that the multicast MAC address specified by standards is stored in the destination MAC address, for processing.
The controller 50 learns a MAC address of the Box 30 from a source address (Source MAC Address) (hereinafter, referred to as an SA) being the MAC address of the unicast CCM frame transmitted by the Box 30. Next, the controller 50 transmits a VSM frame to which the user VLAN ID is attached by using the learnt MAC address of the Box 30. The VSM frame differs from the CCM frame in that an Opcode is equal to 0x33. The VSM frame is a frame independently settable by a vender, and here is a control frame for asking the Box 30 for information on the SN and the MAC address. A frame format has a static part of a vender itself and ways of various configurations, and therefore is omitted.
The Box 30 that receives the VSM frame to itself transmits information on the SN and the MAC address of itself to the controller 50 through a VSR frame. The VSR frame differs from the CCM frame in that an Opcode is equal to 0x32. The VSR frame is a frame independently settable by the vender, and here is a control frame for reporting information on the SN and the MAC address of the Box 30 itself to the controller 50. A frame format has a static part of the vender itself and therefore is omitted. The MAC address is previously learnt by the controller 50 by using a CCM. Here, the Box 30 transmits the MAC address of itself through the VSR frame again to confirm accord between the SN and the MAC.
A reference numeral 7400 of
Based on the updated contents of the inner table, the controller 50 similarly transmits the registration setting as a slave (Box-S31) to the Box 31 through the VSM frame. When the VSM frame is received, the Box 31 starts operations as a Box-S31A based on the setting contents and, through the VSR frame, reports to the controller 50 that it operates as the Box-S31A. The controller 50 reports to the operator that setting of the Box-S31A is completed. The operations are denoted by a reference numeral 8000.
When the setting of the line parameter and the setting of the connectivity monitoring 3300 of
Based on the updated contents of the inner table, the controller 50 similarly transmits to the Box-S31 the information on the setting of the line parameter and the valid setting of the connectivity monitoring through the VSM frame. When the VSM frame is received, the Box-S31 reflects the setting contents on the table of itself and is in an operating state. The Box-S31 reports to the controller 50 that it is in an operating state. The controller 50 reports to the operator that the setting of the Box-S31 is completed. The operations are denoted by a reference numeral 8100.
Here, descriptions are made with a focus on the Box-M40 and the Box-S31, and practically, a plurality of Boxes 31 can be registered as the Box-M40 or the Box-S31. The above-described flow is adamantly one example, and the present embodiment is not necessarily limited to the above-described example.
Separately, sequences of only the controller 50, only the Box-M40, and only the Box-S30 will be described later with reference to
When being in an operating state, the controller 50 transmits a multicast CCM with the user VLAN to the Box 31 and the Box 40 by using the user VLAN ID set by the operator (9110). The controller 50 receives a unicast CCM with the user VLAN from the Box 31 and the Box 40 (9120). Further, when the unicast CCM with the user VLAN is received, the controller 50 learns the MAC addresses of the Box 31 and the Box 40, and prepares an inner table (9130).
An inner table 10020 of
Next, the controller 50 makes inquiries about detailed information of the individual Box 31 and Box 40 based on the learnt MAC address of the Box 31 and the Box 40. Concretely, the controller 50 makes inquiries about the SN information of the Box 31 and the Box 40, and reconfirms the MAC address of the Box 30. The controller 50 transmits the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN to the Box 31 and the Box 40 (9140).
The controller 50 receives the unicast VSR frame with the user VLAN from the Box 31 and the Box 40, and updates information of the previously prepared inner table based on the received contents of the unicast VSR frame (9160).
An inner table 10030 of
When the device registration and the Box-M/S registration work 3200 are performed by the operator, the controller 50 updates an inner table (9210). An inner table 10040 of
Similarly, the destination SNs of S000, S004, and S005 correspond to the Box-M40, the Box-S1 (31D), and the Box-S1 (31E), respectively, in the user VLAN-ID B.
Based on the table information of the inner table 10040, the controller 50 transmits the unicast VSM frame to the Box 31 and the Box 40 (9220). The controller 50 receives a Box M/S setting response from the Box through the unicast VSR frame (9230).
An inner table 10050 of
Next, when the setting of the line parameter and the setting of the connectivity monitoring 3300 are performed by the operator, the controller 50 updates the inner table (9240). An inner table 10060 of
Based on the table information of the inner table 10050, the controller 50 transmits the unicast VSM frame to the Box M/S (9250). The transmission contents of the VSM frame include the setting of the line parameter and the setting of the connectivity monitoring. The controller 50 receives a setting response from the Box-M/S through the unicast VSR frame (9260). The above indicates operation setting of the Box-M40 and the Box-S31 from the controller 50.
A dotted line portion of
Concretely, based on the inner table 10060 of
The controller 50 receives a response of the unicast CCM frame from the Box-M40 and the Box-S31 and finishes the connectivity monitoring between itself and any of the Box-M40 and the Box-S31 (9320). Further, the controller 50 summarizes results of the connectivity monitoring and updates the inner table (9330).
A sequence of the dotted line portion 9300 is repeatedly performed on a steady basis. When a CCM frame is not received for a given length of time, or an abnormality occurs in connectivity between the controller 50 and a relevant device, a report to the operator is promptly performed. Other than the above, a regular report to the operator is set to about five minutes. The above-described example is adamantly one example, and the present embodiment is not necessarily limited to the above-described example.
Next, the Box-M40 learns the MAC address of the controller 50 being a transmission source MAC address of the multicast CCM frame received from the controller 50, and reflects the learnt MAC address on the inner table for updating (12020).
An inner table 13020 of
The Box-M40 sets the learnt MAC address as a DA (destination address) and transmits the unicast CCM frame with the user VLAN to the controller 50 (12030). Further, the Box-M40 receives from the controller 50 the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN for inquiring about detailed information (12040). With respect to the inquiry about the detailed information, the Box-M40 reports information on the SN and the MAC address of itself to the controller 50 through the unicast VSR frame with the user VLAN (12050).
Next, the Box-M40 receives from the controller 50 information for setting itself, namely, information for setting itself as a master Box through the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN (12060). The Box-M40 receiving the information updates the inner table of itself (12070).
An inner table 13030 of
Further, the Box-M40 transmits to the controller 50 the VSR frame for reporting that the setting is completed (12080).
The Box-M40 receives from the controller 50 information on the setting of the line parameter and the setting of the connectivity monitoring through the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN (12090). When the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN is received from the controller 50, the Box-M40 updates the inner table (12100).
An inner table 13040 of
When the setting is normally completed, the Box-M40 transmits a setting response report to the controller 50 through the unicast VSR frame (12110). Further, the Box-M40 is in an operating state (8110).
Based on the information on the inner table 13040, the Box-M40 performs the connectivity monitoring between the Box-M40 and the Box-S31 (12200). In addition, the Box-M40 performs the connectivity monitoring between the controller 50 and the Box-M40 at the same time (12300).
About the connectivity monitoring between the Box-M40 and the Box-S31, the Box-M40 transmits the multicast CCM to a plurality of Boxes-S31 accommodated in units of the user VALN ID (12210). Further, the Box-M40 receives the unicast CCM from the Box-S31 (12220), updates the inner table based on the unicast CCM (12230), and reflects connectivity monitoring results on the inner table.
About the connectivity monitoring between the Box-M40 and the controller 50, the Box-M40 receives the unicast CCM from the controller 50 (12310). Further, the Box-M40 transmits the unicast CCM to the controller 50 (12320). The Box-M40 updates the inner table (12330), and reflects the connectivity monitoring results on the inner table.
A sequence (12200) for performing the connectivity monitoring between the Box-M40 and the Box-S31 and a sequence (12300) for performing the connectivity monitoring between the Box-M40 and the controller 50 are repeatedly performed on a steady basis. When a CCM frame is not received for a given length of time, or an abnormality occurs in connectivity between the controller 50 and a relevant device, a report to the operator is promptly performed. Other than the above, a regular report to the operator is set to about five minutes. The above-described example is adamantly one example, and the present embodiment is not necessarily limited to the above-described example.
Next, the Box-S31 learns the MAC address of the controller 50 being a transmission source MAC address of the multicast CCM frame received from the controller 50, and reflects the learnt MAC address on the inner table for updating (15020).
An inner table 16020 of
The Box-S31 sets the learnt MAC address as a DA (destination address) and transmits the unicast CCM frame with the user VLAN to the controller 50 (15030). Next, the Box-S31 receives from the controller 50 the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN for inquiring about detailed information (15040). The Box-S31 receiving the unicast VSM frame reports information on the SN and the MAC address of itself to the controller 50 through the unicast VSR frame with the user VLAN (15050).
Next, the Box-S31 receives from the controller 50 information for setting the Box-S1 (31A), namely, information for setting the Box-S31 as a slave Box through the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN (15060). The Box-30 updates the inner table of itself (15070).
An inner table 16030 of
Further, the Box-S31 transmits to the controller 50 the VSR frame for reporting that the setting is completed (15080).
Next, the Box-S31 receives from the controller 50 information on the setting of the line parameter and the setting of the connectivity monitoring through the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN (15090). When the unicast VSM frame with the user VLAN is received from the controller 50, the Box-S31 updates the inner table (15100).
An inner table 16040 of
When the setting is normally completed, the Box-S1 (31A) transmits a setting response report to the controller 50 through the unicast VSR frame (15110). Further, the Box-S31 is in an operating state (8130).
Based on the information on the inner table 16040, the Box-S31 performs the connectivity monitoring between the Box-M40 and the Box-S31 (15200). In addition, the Box-S31 separately performs the connectivity monitoring between the controller 50 and the Box-S31 (15300).
About the connectivity monitoring between the Box-S31 and the Box-M40, the Box-S31 receives the unicast CCM from the Box-M40 (15210). Further, the Box-S31 transmits the unicast CCM to the Box-M40 (15320). Further, the Box-S31 updates the inner table in accordance with an exchange of the unicast CCM frame between the Box-S31 and the Box-M40 (15230), and reflects connectivity monitoring results on the inner table.
About the connectivity monitoring between the Box-S31 and the controller 50, the Box-S31 receives the unicast CCM from the controller 50 (15310). Further, the Box-S31 transmits the unicast CCM to the controller 50 (15320). The Box-S31 updates the inner table in accordance with an exchange of the unicast CCM frame between the Box-S31 and the controller 50 (15340), and reflects connectivity monitoring results on the inner table.
A sequence (15200) for performing the connectivity monitoring between the Box-M40 and the Box-S31 and a sequence (15300) for performing the connectivity monitoring between the Box-S31 and the controller 50 are repeatedly performed on a steady basis. When a CCM frame is not received for a given length of time, or an abnormality occurs in connectivity between the Box-S31 and a relevant device, a report to the operator side is promptly performed by the Box-S31. Other than the above, a regular report to the operator side is set to about five minutes. The above-described example is adamantly one example, and the present embodiment is not necessarily limited to the above-described example.
As described above, in the present embodiment, a terminal device (hereinafter, referred to as a terminal device) that can terminate the Ethernet OAM frame specified by recommendation of IEEE 802. lag and ITU-T Y. 1731 is installed at a user's base. Further, normality monitoring between bases is achieved from end to end between terminal devices by using a CCM frame. Further, a control device (controller) that controls the terminal device is installed in a VLAN network used by a user. A method for establishing a control route of the terminal device from the controller is performed by MAC address learning and transmission and reception of a CCM frame between the controller and the terminal device. Concretely, a CCM frame with a multicast address is transmitted to each terminal device in a VLAN network used by the same user from the controller. When the CCM frame with the multicast address is received, each terminal device transmits a CCM frame with a unicast address to the controller. The controller learns a MAC address of an object terminal device based on the CCM frame with the unicast address from each terminal device.
After the MAC address learning, an object device can be identified by a MAC address and a channel for control can be established. The terminal device is controlled by the controller through an independently-specified control frame. To a format of the control frame, in-channel communication of a layer 2 can be applied by using a VSM/VSR (Vender-Specific OAM Message/Vender-Specific OAM Reply) of an Ethernet OAM. The above-described format of the control frame is adamantly one example, and not limited to usage of the VSM/VSR.
The controller that establishes a control route with the terminal device performs table management in units of a VLAN network in which the user uses information on the terminal device based on the MAC learning result and the report information on a control frame. Table information on the controller can be reported to an operator side and collectively managed. The operator sets a subordinate relationship to terminal devices and determines an upper-side (master) terminal device and a plurality of lower-side (slave) terminal devices. The controller reports the set contents to each terminal device through the control frame based on the set table information. Based on the set contents, each terminal device operates. About the connectivity monitoring, both of monitoring of a main signal route and that of a control route are performed. Concretely, the connectivity monitoring of the main signal route is performed through the CCM frame between the master terminal device and the slave terminal device. Further, the connectivity monitoring of the control route is performed through the CCM frame also between the controller and each terminal device. In a connectivity monitoring segment, an ID managed by the operator is specified, and monitored and managed in units of segments.
As described above, each terminal device can be remotely controlled through the controller 50 under the leadership of an operator from a MAC address learnt by the controller 50. The operator can manage and prepare collectively tables indicating connection information between respective terminal devices that make a connection between bases in an L2-VPN service area and connection information between a controller and each terminal device. Based on the above, the operator can confirm normality of not only a main signal route through which a user frame flows but also a control route. When a connectivity monitoring segment becomes apparent, a terminal failure in case of trouble or a failure portion at the time of a communication path error is easily identified. Further, when an unnecessary failure report is reduced, a burden onto user traffic can be relieved.
It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modification may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-083246 | Apr 2011 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2012/058927 | 4/2/2012 | WO | 00 | 11/6/2013 |