Operation method for fault-tolerant systems and voice servers

Abstract

This also contributes to achieving fault tolerance for legacy equipment installed at local stations. [Solution] The fault-tolerant system connects a first voice server, which is assigned a first group ID using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, a second voice server, which is assigned a second group ID using the same card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, and a legacy equipment housing device, which is assigned the first group ID using the same box-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, via an Ethernet network.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fault tolerant system and an operation method of a voice server.

Background Art

[0002] A fault tolerant system is a system that can continue normal processing even if a failure occurs in some devices of the system (see, for example, Patent Document 1). FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a conventional fault tolerant system.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 4, a fault tolerant system in a conventional voice server includes a voice server system 10 installed at a central office and a backup (emergency) voice server device 40 installed on the local side. The backup (emergency) voice server device 40 installed on the local side, the IP telephone 46, the IP telephone 47, and the IP voice gateway device 48 are connected via a local network (HUB / router). Also, the voice server system 10 installed at the central office and the local network (HUB / router) are connected to a VoIP network 20.

[0004] The voice server system 10 installed at the central office includes a CPU 11, a main memory 12, a storage device 13, a maintenance terminal 14, a GATE device 15, a LAN1 (NIC-1) 16, a LAN2 (NIC-2) 17, and a legacy device housing device 18. The backup (emerg (emergency) voice server device 40 installed on the local side includes a CPU 41, a main memory 42, a storage device 43, a LAN1 (NIC-1) 44, and a LAN2 (NIC-2) 45. The legacy telephone 1 and the legacy telephone 2 are connected to the legacy device housing device 18.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 241032 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Furthermore, the disclosures in the above-mentioned prior art documents are incorporated into this book by reference. The following analysis was conducted by the inventors.

[0007] By the way, in conventional fault-tolerant systems for voice servers, the backup targets are limited to IP devices such as IP phones and IP voice gateway devices, and legacy devices cannot be backed up if the central office becomes inoperable due to a failure or other reason. In conventional fault-tolerant systems for voice servers, communication is performed as shown in Figure 5 during normal operation, but if a failure occurs in the voice server system 10 installed at the central office, as shown in Figure 6, IP phones 46 and 47 and the IP voice gateway device 48 can continue to function by communicating with the backup (emergency) voice server device 40 installed locally, but legacy phones 1 and 2 will cease to function.

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a fault-tolerant system and a method for operating a voice server that contribute to achieving fault tolerance even for legacy equipment installed at local stations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In a first aspect of the present invention, a fault-tolerant system is provided which connects a first voice server assigned a first group ID using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, a second voice server assigned a second group ID using the same card-type ExpEther device, and a legacy equipment housing device assigned the first group ID using the same box-type ExpEther device via an Ethernet network.

[0010] A second aspect of the present invention provides a fault-tolerant system in which a first voice server assigned a first group ID using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, a second voice server assigned a second group ID using the same card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, and a legacy equipment housing device assigned the first group ID using the same box-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology are connected via an Ethernet network, wherein in the event of a failure in the first voice server, the control of the legacy equipment housing device is switched to the control of the second voice server by rewriting the group ID of the legacy equipment housing device from the first group ID to the second group ID. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to each aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a fault-tolerant system and a method for operating a voice server that contributes to achieving fault tolerance even for legacy equipment installed at local stations. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the fault-tolerant system of this disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the operating range during normal operation of the fault-tolerant system of this disclosure. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the operational range in the fault-tolerant system of this disclosure when a failure occurs. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a conventional fault-tolerant system. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the operating range of a conventional fault-tolerant system during normal operation. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the operating range of a conventional fault-tolerant system when a failure occurs. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. In each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are appropriately denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of each element may differ from those of reality. There may also be parts where the dimensional relationships and ratios differ between drawings.

[0014] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the fault-tolerant system of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the fault-tolerant system for a voice server of this disclosure comprises a voice server system 100 installed at the central station, a backup (emergency) voice server device 300 installed locally, and a legacy equipment housing device 400 at a remote station, all interconnected by an Ethernet network 200.

[0015] The voice server system 100 installed at the central station includes a CPU 101, main memory 102, storage device 103, maintenance terminal 104, card-type ExpEther device 105, LAN1 (NIC-1) 106, and LAN2 (NIC-2) 107. The backup (emergency) voice server device 300 installed on the local side includes a CPU 301, main memory 302, storage device 303, maintenance terminal 304, card-type ExpEther device 305, LAN1 (NIC-1) 306, LAN2 (NIC-2) 307, and REST interface device 308. The legacy equipment housing device 400 at the remote station includes a box-type ExpEther device 401, a GATE device 402, a legacy equipment housing device (PIR) 403, and a REST interface device 404.

[0016] Legacy telephones 1 and 2 are connected to the Legacy Equipment Intake (PIR) 403 in the Legacy Equipment Intake 400 at the remote station. The REST interface device 308 in the backup (emergency) voice server device 300 installed on the local side and the REST interface device 404 in the Legacy Equipment Intake 400 at the remote station are configured to communicate via the REST interface communication path.

[0017] Here, the ExpressEther technology enables devices installed at the central office via the PCI bus to communicate via the PCI bus over an EtherNetWork, allowing devices on the PCI bus to be installed on the remote station side. The CPU 101 of the voice server system 100 installed at the central office can use the ExpEther technology to process PCI devices connected via the EtherNetWork as devices directly connected under its own PCI bus. In the ExpEther technology, a group ID is assigned and managed to recognize PCI devices installed on the EtherNetWork. ExpEther communication can only occur between a card-type ExpEther device (installed on the control-side CPU) and a BOX-type ExpEther device (a BOX for directly collecting PCI devices, usually installed on the local side) with the same group ID. Note that the group ID of the BOX-type ExpEther device can communicate via the management server and the REST interface communication path and can be changed in real time.

[0018] Applying this function, a system can be configured with the control unit of the PCI device in both the central office and the backup device installed locally. Unique values are set for the ExpEther group IDs of the central office and the backup device installed locally, and the group ID of the PCI device (legacy device housing) is automatically changed when a failure is detected, enabling continuous control of the legacy device housing even during a failure.

[0019] The CPU 101 of the voice server system 100 installed at the central office has the ExpEther group ID = 1 set in advance using the maintenance terminal 104. Similarly, the backup voice server device 300 installed locally has the ExpEther group ID = 2 set in advance using the maintenance terminal 304.

[0020] Furthermore, the backup voice server device 300 installed locally periodically performs health check communication (liveness monitoring) with the voice server system 100 installed at the central station, recognizing that the voice server system 100 at the central station is operating normally and that the group ID information of the voice server system 100 at the central station is set to 1. The legacy equipment housing device 400 installed at the local station is set to the same group ID information = 1 as the central station through communication using the REST interface communication path 500 between the REST interface device 308 on the backup voice server device 300 side and the REST interface device 404 on the legacy equipment housing device 400 side. Therefore, during normal operation, as shown in Figure 2, the group ID information = 1 is set for the legacy equipment housing device 400 installed at the local station, allowing the voice server system 100 installed at the central station to recognize and control the legacy equipment housing device 400 installed at the local station as being connected directly under its PCI interface.

[0021] On the other hand, the backup (emergency) voice server device 300 installed on the local side has a card-type ExpEther device 305 of the backup voice server device, similar to the voice server system 100 installed at the central office. The backup voice server device 300 installed on the local side periodically performs health check communication (life and death monitoring) with the voice server system 100 installed at the central office. If there is no reply to the health check communication, it is determined that the voice server system 100 installed at the central office has gone down. Then, through communication using the REST interface communication path 500 between the REST interface device 308 on the backup voice server device 300 side installed on the local side and the REST interface device 404 on the legacy device housing device 400 side installed at the local office, the same group ID information = 2 as itself (local office) is set in the legacy device housing device 400 installed at the local office. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the legacy device housing device 400 installed at the local office is switched so that it can be controlled as a PCI device on the backup voice server device 300 side installed on the local side, and the backup voice server device 300 installed on the local side can continue to process the call processing of the legacy devices under the legacy device housing device 400 installed at the local office.

[0022] Some or all of the above embodiments may be described as follows in the appended claims, but are not limited thereto. [Appended Claim 1] A first voice server to which a first group ID is assigned using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, A second voice server to which a second group ID is assigned using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing the ExpEther technology, A fault-tolerant system in which a legacy device housing device to which the first group ID is assigned using a Box-type ExpEther device utilizing the ExpEther technology is connected via an Ethernet network. [Appended Claim 2] The fault-tolerant system described in Appendix 1, wherein the second voice server comprises a first REST interface device, the legacy equipment housing device comprises a second REST interface device capable of controlling the Box-type ExpEther device, and the first REST interface device and the second REST interface device are configured to communicate with each other via a REST interface communication path. [Note 3] The fault-tolerant system as described in Appendix 2, wherein the second voice server monitors the status of the first voice server, and if a failure occurs in the first voice server, it switches control of the legacy equipment housing device under the control of the second voice server by using the second REST interface device to rewrite the group ID of the legacy equipment housing device from the first group ID to the second group ID. [Note 4] In a fault-tolerant system connecting a first voice server assigned a first group ID using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, a second voice server assigned a second group ID using the same card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, and a legacy equipment housing device assigned the first group ID using the same box-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology via an Ethernet network, A method for operating a voice server, wherein, in the event of a failure in the first voice server, the control of the legacy equipment housing device is switched to the control of the second voice server by rewriting the group ID of the legacy equipment housing device from the first group ID to the second group ID. [Note 5] The method for operating the voice server described in Appendix 4, which involves monitoring the status of the first voice server and determining that a failure has occurred in the first voice server.

[0023] Furthermore, the disclosures of the above-mentioned patent documents and other materials cited are incorporated into this document by reference. Within the framework of the full disclosure of the present invention (including the claims), further modifications and adjustments to the embodiments or examples are possible based on the fundamental technical concept. Also, within the framework of the full disclosure of the present invention, various combinations or selections (including partial deletions) of various disclosure elements (including each element of each claim, each element of each embodiment or example, each element of each drawing, etc.) are possible. In other words, the present invention naturally includes the full disclosure, including the claims, and various modifications and alterations that a person skilled in the art could make in accordance with the technical concept. In particular, with respect to the numerical ranges described in this document, any numerical value or sub-range included within that range should be interpreted as being specifically described, even if not otherwise stated. Furthermore, the disclosures of the above-mentioned cited documents may, if necessary, be used in part or in whole as part of the disclosure of the present invention, in accordance with the spirit of the present invention, and these may also be considered to be included in the disclosures of this application. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0024] 1. Legacy phone 2 Legacy telephones 10. Voice server system installed at the central station 11 CPU 12 Main Memory 13 Storage device 14 Maintenance terminals 15 GATE device 16 LAN1 (NIC-1) 17 LAN2 (NIC-2) 18. Legacy Equipment Housing 20 VoIP Networks 30. Local network (HUB / router) 40. Locally installed backup (emergency) voice server device 41 CPU 42 Main Memory 43 Storage device 44 LAN1 (NIC-1) 45 LAN2 (NIC-2) 46 IP phone 47 IP phone 48 IP Voice Gateway Device 100 Voice server system installed at the central station 101 CPU 102 Main Memory 103 Storage device 104 Maintenance terminal 105 Card-type ExpEther device 106 LAN1 (NIC-1) 107 LAN2 (NIC-2) 200 Ethernet Work 300 Locally installed backup (emergency) voice server device 301 CPU 302 Main Memory 303 Storage device 304 Maintenance Terminal 305 Card-type ExpEther device 306 LAN1 (NIC-1) 307 LAN2 (NIC-2) 308 REST Interface Device 400 Legacy Equipment Housing 401 BOX type ExpEther device 402 GATE device 403 Legacy Equipment Accommodation System (PIR) 404 REST Interface Device 500 REST interface communication path

Claims

1. A first voice server assigned a first group ID using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, Multiple second voice servers, each assigned a second group ID using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing the aforementioned ExpEther technology, A legacy equipment housing device corresponding to each of the multiple second voice servers to which the first group ID has been assigned is connected via Ethernet to a Box-type ExpEther device utilizing the aforementioned ExpEther technology, The plurality of second voice servers are equipped with a first REST interface device, the legacy equipment housing device is equipped with a second REST interface device capable of controlling the Box-type ExpEther device, and the first REST interface device and the second REST interface device are configured to communicate with each other via a REST interface communication path. A fault-tolerant system that monitors the status of the first voice server, and if a communication failure occurs between one of the plurality of second voice servers and the first voice server, switches control of the legacy equipment housing device under the control of one of the plurality of second voice servers by using the second REST interface device to rewrite the group ID of the legacy equipment housing device from the first group ID to the second group ID.

2. In a fault-tolerant system connecting via Ethernet a first voice server assigned a first group ID using a card-type ExpEther device utilizing ExpEther technology, a plurality of second voice servers assigned a second group ID using the same card-type ExpEther device, and legacy equipment housing devices corresponding to each of the plurality of second voice servers, each assigned a first group ID using the same box-type ExpEther device, A method for operating voice servers, wherein, in the event of a communication failure between one of the plurality of second voice servers and the first voice server, one of the plurality of second voice servers rewrites the group ID of the legacy equipment housing device from the first group ID to the second group ID, thereby switching the control of the legacy equipment housing device under the control of one of the plurality of second voice servers.

3. The method for operating a voice server according to Claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of second voice servers monitors the status of the first voice server and determines that a communication failure has occurred between one of the plurality of second voice servers and the first voice server.

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