Communication Control Device for Distributed Network Topology
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional communication control systems cannot collectively grasp connection relations among switches, wireless access points, and communication terminals connected to a router at a different location via the Internet, limiting the ability to generate comprehensive network topology data.
Innovation Solution
A communication control device that transmits and receives information about connection relations via a VPN, using a transmitting unit, receiving unit, and display control unit to display an image representing the connection relations of communication relay devices, allowing for the inference and visualization of network topology across different locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a router collects storage contents and MAC addresses from switching hubs in a LAN, then network topology data of the LAN can be generated, but the router cannot collectively grasp connection relations of communication relay devices at different locations via the Internet
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the network topology management into segments: local topology collection by each router, and centralized aggregation by the communication control device. Each router independently collects MAC addresses from its connected switching hubs, then transmits this segmented information to the central device for comprehensive assembly, resolving the limitation of single-router visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication control device acts as an intermediary between multiple routers and the central management system. It receives connection relation information from routers via the Internet, aggregates the data, and generates comprehensive network topology information, enabling centralized grasp of distributed network structures without requiring direct peer-to-peer communication between all devices.
2Productivity
If network topology data is generated from local LAN only, then the topology can be easily grasped, but comprehensive network topology across multiple locations via Internet cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The communication control device merges topology information from multiple geographically distributed LANs into a unified network topology representation. By combining local topology data from each router with connection relation information transmitted via the Internet, the system creates a comprehensive view of the entire distributed network, enabling centralized management across multiple locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a new dimension to network topology management by incorporating Internet-based communication between distributed routers and the central control device. This transforms the management scope from single-LAN (two-dimensional local network) to multi-LAN distributed network (three-dimensional space including geographic distribution), enabling comprehensive topology grasping across different locations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a router manages only local switching hubs, then the configuration is simple, but the ability to manage relay devices at different locations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The communication control device is designed with universal functionality to manage both local and remote network devices. It can receive and process connection relation information from multiple routers via the Internet, aggregate this diverse information, and generate comprehensive topology data, making the system adaptable to various network scales and configurations while maintaining centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
Each router automatically collects MAC address information from its connected switching hubs and transmits this data to the communication control device without manual intervention. The communication control device then automatically aggregates this information and generates network topology data, enabling the system to self-configure and adapt to network changes while maintaining operational simplicity for users.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system includes a first local area network (LAN), a first router that is operatively coupled to the first LAN, a second local area network (LAN), a second router that is operatively coupled to the second LAN, and a communication network that facilitates communication between the first router and the second router. The first router includes a communication control device having at least one processor that transmits first information indicating a connection relation of a first communication relay device to the first communication relay device connected via the Internet. The processor also receives the first information from the first communication relay device. The processor also causes connection information in accordance with the received information indicating the connection relation of the first communication relay device to be displayed on a display unit.