Nec Corporation

Shihomi Sato

Masanori Takashima

Youichi Hidaka

Tetsu Izawa

Minaxay Philavong

Takashi Yokota

Tsugio Okamoto

Masashi Hayashi

Mamoru Takajo

Koichi Tsuchiya

A communication system includes: a control apparatus configured to set control information, which causes each control target switch to distinguish a link layer discovery protocol packet of a first network from a link layer discovery protocol packet of a second network different from the first network and to perform corresponding predetermined processing, in each control target switch; a group of switches each of which is configured to transmit a link layer discovery protocol packet of the first network to a predetermined topology management apparatus in accordance with control information set by the control apparatus; and a topology management apparatus configured to manage a network topology configured by the group of switches on the basis of information included in a link layer discovery protocol packet of the first network received from each of the switches.

Communication system, control apparatus, and network topology management method

A communication apparatus is provided with: a processing rule storage unit capable of storing a first processing rule for unknown packets set in advance, and a second processing rule set by a control apparatus; a packet processor that processes received packets based on processing rules stored in the processing rule storage unit; and a state notification unit that transmits a predetermined control message to the control apparatus when a packet is processed using the first processing rule. On receiving the predetermined control message, the control apparatus creates the second processing rule to be set in the communication apparatus and sets the second processing rule in the communication apparatus, and also discards packets included in the control message. The communication apparatus continues packet processing using the first processing rule until the second processing rule is set by the control apparatus.

Communication apparatus, control apparatus, communication system, communication method, method for controlling communication apparatus, and program

In a network system in which a switch forwarding packets and a control server determining route information are separated, it is desired to achieve a redundancy of the control channel by an out-of-band control channel and an in-band control channel, when the switch receives a control message regarding the flow entry registration and the like based on the route information from the control server. Specifically, the separated switch and control server are connected by a control channel for sending and receiving the control message. The switch is not only connected to a control server via an out-of-band control channel by a route dedicated to the control message, but also connected to another control server via an in-band control channel by a route which is common with a normal data communication for determining the route information, to achieve a redundancy of the control channel.

Network system and network redundancy method

In a switching node, high-speed and advanced service protocol processing function is achieved by utilizing an external control server without affecting performance of conventional service protocol processing. Specifically, a forwarding engine has PCI express and an LAN interface. Depending on a type of an input packet, destination of the packet is switched to the PCI express side for conventional network service and to the LAN interface side for extended network service that cooperates with the external control server. A CPU having the PCI express and the LAN interface is provided ahead of the LAN interface. The CPU performs communication of service inquiry with the external control server at high speed via the LAN interface. After response from the control server is obtained, setting of the forwarding engine is performed through the PCI express.

Communication control system, switching node, communication control method and communication control program including PCI express switch and LAN interface

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Tokyo, Japan

Shihomi Sato