Communication system, communication device, and communication method

A communication device that is controlled by control software, the communication device comprising:

• a storage unit;
• a control unit;
• and
• hardware, wherein
• the control unit stores, before updating the control software, information about the communication device in the storage unit,
• the control unit compares, after updating the control software, the information about the communication device stored in the storage unit with information about the communication device obtained after updating the control software, and performs predetermined processing based on a result of the comparison,
• the hardware holds, as first hardware information, hardware information indicating a setting content of the hardware set by a management server and a state of the hardware, and
• the control unit acquires, from the management server, first configuration information indicating a setting content set by the management server for the hardware, and a setting content set by the management server for a function implemented using the hardware, holds the acquired first configuration information as second configuration information, acquires the first hardware information from the hardware, holds the acquired first hardware information as second hardware information, and holds inside information indicating a state of the function,
• the control unit stores, before updating the control software, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information in the storage unit, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information being held by the control unit,
• the control unit acquires, after updating the control software, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information from the storage unit, the first hardware information from the hardware, and the first configuration information from the management server, determines whether there is a consistency between the acquired pieces of information, determines, based on a result of the determination as to the consistency, whether there is an inconsistency in any one of the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and corrects, when there is the inconsistency, information including the inconsistency among the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit,
• the control unit performs, after updating the control software, a first check process for determining a consistency between the first hardware information acquired from the hardware and the second hardware information acquired from the storage unit, a second check process for determining a consistency between the first configuration information acquired from the management server and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and a third check process for determining a consistency among the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and determines, based on results of the determination as to the consistency in the first, second, and third check processes, whether there is an inconsistency in any one of the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit.

A communication method that is performed by a communication system including a communication device, including hardware, a storage unit, and a control unit, controlled by control software and a management server, the communication method comprising:

• holding, by the management server, information about the communication device;
• storing, by the communication device, information about the communication device before updating the control software;
• and
• comparing, by the communication device, the stored information about the communication device with information about the communication device obtained after updating the control software after updating the control software, and performs predetermined processing based on a result of the comparison;
• configuring, by the management server, a setting for the hardware and a setting for a function implemented using the hardware, and holding, as first configuration information, configuration information indicating a setting content of the setting for the hardware and a setting content for the setting for the function;
• holding, by the hardware, as first hardware information, hardware information indicating a setting content of the hardware set by the management server and a state of the hardware;
• acquiring, by the control unit, the first configuration information from the management server and the first hardware information from the hardware, holding the acquired first configuration information and the acquired first hardware information as second configuration information and second hardware information, respectively, and holding inside information indicating a state of the function;
• storing by the control unit, before updating the control software, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information in the storage unit, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information being held by the control unit;
• acquiring by the control unit, after updating the control software, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information from the storage unit, the first hardware information from the hardware, and the first configuration information from the management server, determining whether there is a consistency between the pieces of acquired information, determining, based on a result of the determination as to the consistency, whether there is an inconsistency in any one of the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and correcting, when there is an inconsistency, information including the inconsistency among the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit;
• and
• performing, by the control unit, after updating the control software, a first check process for determining a consistency between the first hardware information acquired from the hardware and the second hardware information acquired from the storage unit, a second check process for determining a consistency between the first configuration information acquired from the management server and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and a third check process for determining a consistency among the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and determining, based on a result of the determination as to the consistency in the first, second, and third check processes, whether there is an inconsistency in any of the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit.

A communication method that is performed by a communication device controlled by control software, the communication method comprising:

• storing information about the communication device before updating the control software;
• and
• comparing, after updating the control software, the stored information about the communication device with information about the communication device obtained after updating the control software, and performing predetermined processing based on a result of the comparison,
• holding, as first hardware information, hardware information indicating a setting content of the hardware set by a management server and a state of a hardware, and
• acquiring, from the management server, first configuration information indicating a setting content set by the management server for the hardware, and a setting content set by the management server for a function implemented using the hardware, holds the acquired first configuration information as second configuration information, acquires the first hardware information from the hardware, holds the acquired first hardware information as second hardware information, and holds inside information indicating a state of the function,
• storing, before updating the control software, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information in a storage unit, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information being held by the control unit,
• acquiring, after updating the control software, the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information from the storage unit, the first hardware information from the hardware, and the first configuration information from the management server, determining whether there is a consistency between the acquired pieces of information, determining, based on a result of the determination as to the consistency, whether there is an inconsistency in any one of the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and correcting, when there is the inconsistency, information including the inconsistency among the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit,
• performing, after updating the control software, a first check process for determining a consistency between the first hardware information acquired from the hardware and the second hardware information acquired from the storage unit, a second check process for determining a consistency between the first configuration information acquired from the management server and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and a third check process for determining a consistency among the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit, and determining, based on results of the determination as to the consistency in the first, second, and third check processes, whether there is an inconsistency in any one of the second hardware information, the inside information, and the second configuration information acquired from the storage unit.