Repeating unit testing system and communication apparatus as well as communication method

A repeating unit testing system which includes a first tester connected to a first communication network, a first repeating unit having a first port connected to said first communication network and a second port connected to a second communication network, a second repeating unit having a third port connected to said second communication network and a fourth port connected to a third communication network, and a second tester connected to said third communication network, comprising:

• first packet transmission means provided in said first tester for transmitting a plurality of packets whose transmission destination address is said second tester to said first communication network for a fixed period of time;
• second packet transmission means provided in said first repeating unit for receiving the packets from said first port and transmitting the packets from said second port to said second communication network;
• third packet transmission means provided in said second repeating unit for receiving the packets from said third port and transmitting the packets from said fourth port to said third communication network;
• line connection-disconnection log information acquisition means provided in said first or second repeating unit for acquiring log information whenever connection or disconnection of a line of said second communication network between said second port and said third port is done;
• packet reception means provided in said third repeating unit for receiving the packets from said third communication network;
• and
• line connection-disconnection log information collection means provided in said first tester for collecting the log information.

A repeating unit testing system which includes a first tester connected to a first communication network, a first repeating unit having a first port connected to said first communication network and a second port connected to a second communication network, and a second repeating unit having a third port connected to said second communication network, comprising:

• first packet transmission means provided in said first tester for transmitting a fixed number of packets whose transmission destination address is said second repeating unit to said first communication network;
• second packet transmission means provided in said first repeating unit for receiving the packets from said first port and transmitting the packets from said second port to said second communication network;
• packet reception means provided in said second repeating unit for receiving the packets from said third port;
• packet log information acquisition means provided in said first or second repeating unit for acquiring log information whenever the packet transmission or the packet reception is done;
• and
• packet log information collection means provided in said first tester for collecting the log information.

A communication apparatus connected to a transmission system which includes a plurality of repeating units and a network including a line interconnecting said plurality of repeating units, comprising:

• reception means for receiving data sent thereto from an object apparatus of communication through said repeating units and said network in accordance with a predetermined sequence;
• expected value collection means for collecting expected values of the sequence from the object apparatus of communication;
• and
• log information collection means for collecting log information recorded into those of said repeating units which receive the data whenever a specific operation is done in said repeating units.

A communication method for a transmission system which includes a plurality of repeating units, a network including a line interconnecting said plurality of repeating units, and a plurality of communication apparatus connected to different ones of said repeating units from each other, comprising:

• sending out data from a first one of said communication apparatus to a second one of said communication apparatus through said repeating units and said network in accordance with a predetermined sequence;
• sending out expected values of the sequence from the first communication apparatus to the second communication apparatus;
• and
• collecting log information recorded into those of said repeating units which receive the data by the second communication apparatus whenever a specific operation is done in said repeating units.

A repeating unit having a first port connected to a first communication network and a second port connected to a second communication network comprising:

• first packet transmission means for receiving the packets from said first port and transmitting the packets from said second port to said second communication network;
• line connection-disconnection log information acquisition means for acquiring log information whenever connection or disconnection of a line of said second communication network is done;
• and
• line connection-disconnection log information transmission means for transmitting the log information to said first communication network.

A repeating unit testing system which includes a first tester connected to a first communication network, a first repeating unit having a first port connected to said first communication network and a second port connected to a second communication network, and a second repeating unit having a third port connected to said second communication network, comprising:

• a first packet transmission unit provided in said first tester transmitting a plurality of packets whose transmission destination address is said second repeating unit to said first communication network for a fixed period of time;
• a second packet transmission unit provided in said first repeating unit receiving the packets from said first port and transmitting the packets from said second port to said second communication network;
• a packet reception unit provided in said second repeating unit receiving the packets from said third port;
• a line connection-disconnection log information acquisition unit provided in said first or second repeating unit acquiring log information whenever connection or disconnection of a line of said second communication network between said second port and said third port is done;
• and
• a line connection-disconnection log information collection unit provided in said first tester collecting the log information.

A repeating unit testing system which includes a first tester connected to a first communication network, a first repeating unit having a first port connected to said first communication network and a second port connected to a second communication network, a second repeating unit having a third port connected to said second communication network and a fourth port connected to a third communication network, and a second tester connected to said third communication network, comprising:

• a first packet transmission unit provided in said first tester transmitting a plurality of packets whose transmission destination address is said second tester to said first communication network for a fixed period of time;
• a second packet transmission unit provided in said first repeating unit receiving the packets from said first port and transmitting the packets from said second port to said second communication network;
• a third packet transmission unit provided in said second repeating unit receiving the packets from said third port and transmitting the packets from said fourth port to said third communication network;
• a line connection-disconnection log information acquisition unit provided in said first or second repeating unit acquiring log information whenever connection or disconnection of a line of said second communication network between said second port and said third port is done;
• a packet reception unit provided in said third repeating unit receiving the packets from said third communication network;
• and
• a line connection-disconnection log information collection unit provided in said first tester collecting the log information.

A repeating unit testing system which includes a first tester connected to a first communication network, a first repeating unit having a first port connected to said first communication network and a second port connected to a second communication network, and a second repeating unit having a third port connected to said second communication network, comprising:

• a first packet transmission unit provided in said first tester transmitting a fixed number of packets whose transmission destination address is said second repeating unit to said first communication network;
• a second packet transmission unit provided in said first repeating unit receiving the packets from said first port and transmitting the packets from said second port to said second communication network;
• a packet reception unit provided in said second repeating unit receiving the packets from said third port;
• a packet log information acquisition unit provided in said first or second repeating unit acquiring log information whenever the packet transmission or the packet reception is done;
• and
• a packet log information collection unit provided in said first tester collecting the log information.

A communication apparatus connected to a transmission system which includes a plurality of repeating units and a network including a line interconnecting said plurality of repeating units, comprising:

• a reception unit receiving data sent thereto from an object apparatus of communication through said repeating units and said network in accordance with a predetermined sequence;
• an expected value collection unit collecting expected values of the sequence from the object apparatus of communication;
• and
• a log information collection unit collecting log information recorded into those of said repeating units which receive the data whenever a specific operation is done in said repeating units.

A repeating unit having a first port connected to a first communication network and a second port connected to a second communication network comprising:

• a first packet transmission unit receiving the packets from said first port and transmitting the packets from said second port to said second communication network;
• a line connection-disconnection log information acquisition unit acquiring log information whenever connection or disconnection of a line of said second communication network is done;
• and
• a line connection-disconnection log information transmission unit transmitting the log information to said first communication network.