System for avoiding the assignment of duplicate MAC addresses to network interface devices

An MAC address management apparatus for assigning an MAC address serving as an identification number unique to a network interface device to the network interface device to be connected to a network, comprising:

• MAC address storage means for storing an MAC address file comprising a plurality of MAC addresses;
• external storage means for controlling to store a temporary MAC address file in an external storage device connected to said MAC address management apparatus;
• transmission means for reading out one MAC address from the MAC address file and transmitting the MAC address to the network interface device in order to assign an MAC address to the network interface device;
• reception means for receiving an MAC address write completion notification indicating that the transmitted MAC address has been assigned to the network interface device;
• rewrite means for controlling to rewrite, in the temporary MAC address file of the external storage device, MAC addresses of the MAC address file except for the transmitted MAC address when said reception means receives the MAC address write completion notification;
• and
• delete means for deleting the transmitted MAC address from the MAC address file after said rewrite means controls to rewrite the MAC addresses in the temporary MAC address file.

An MAC address management system comprising a network interface device to be connected to a network, and an MAC address management apparatus for assigning an MAC address serving as an identification number unique to the network interface device,

• said MAC address management apparatus having:
• MAC address storage means for storing an MAC address file and a temporary MAC address file, the MAC address file comprising a plurality of MAC addresses;
• transmission means for reading out one MAC address from the MAC address file and transmitting the MAC address to said network interface device in order to assign an MAC address to said network interface device;
• reception means for receiving an MAC address write completion notification indicating that the transmitted MAC address has been assigned to said network interface device;
• rewrite means for rewriting, in the temporary MAC address file, MAC addresses of the MAC address file except for the transmitted MAC address when said reception means receives the MAC address write completion notification;
• and
• delete means for deleting the transmitted MAC address from the MAC address file after said rewrite means rewrites the MAC address in the temporary MAC address file, and
• said network interface device having:
• MAC address reception means for receiving the assigned MAC address from said MAC address management apparatus;
• write/storage means for writing and storing the MAC address;
• and
• write completion notification transmission means for transmitting the MAC address write completion notification upon completion of a write of the MAC address.

An MAC address management system comprising a network interface device to be connected to a network, and an MAC address management apparatus for assigning an MAC address serving as an identification number unique to the network interface device,

• said MAC address management apparatus having:
• MAC address storage means for storing an MAC address file comprising a plurality of MAC addresses;
• external storage means for controlling to store a temporary MAC address file in an external storage device connected to said MAC address management apparatus;
• transmission means for reading out one MAC address from the MAC address file and transmitting the MAC address to the network interface device in order to assign an MAC address to said network interface device;
• reception means for receiving an MAC address write completion notification indicating that the transmitted MAC address has been assigned to said network interface device;
• rewrite means for controlling to rewrite, in the temporary MAC address file of the external storage device, MAC addresses of the MAC address file except for the transmitted MAC address when said reception means receives the MAC address write completion notification;
• and
• delete means for deleting the transmitted MAC address from the MAC address file after said rewrite means controls to rewrite the MAC addresses in the temporary MAC address file, and
• said network interface device having:
• MAC address reception means for receiving the assigned MAC address from said MAC address management apparatus;
• write/storage means for writing and storing the MAC address;
• and
• write completion notification transmission means for transmitting the MAC address write completion notification upon completion of a write of the MAC address.

An MAC address management method applied to an MAC address management apparatus having storage means for storing an MAC address file storing a plurality of MAC addresses and a temporary MAC address file, comprising:

• the transmission step of controlling to read out one MAC address from the MAC address file and transmit the MAC address to a network interface device in order to assign an MAC address to the network interface device to be connected to a network;
• the reception step of controlling to receive an MAC address write completion notification indicating that the transmitted MAC address has been assigned to the network interface device;
• the rewrite step of controlling to rewrite, in the temporary MAC address file, MAC addresses of the MAC address file except for the transmitted MAC address when said reception step receives the MAC address write completion notification;
• and
• the delete step of controlling to delete the transmitted MAC address from the MAC address file after said rewrite step rewrites the MAC addresses in the temporary MAC address file.

An MAC address management method applied to an MAC address management apparatus having storage means for storing an MAC address file comprising a plurality of MAC addresses, comprising:

• the transmission step of controlling to read out one MAC address from the MAC address file and transmit the MAC address to a network interface device in order to assign an MAC address to the network interface device to be connected to a network;
• the reception step of controlling to receive an MAC address write completion notification indicating that the transmitted MAC address has been assigned to the network interface device;
• the rewrite step of controlling to rewrite MAC addresses of the MAC address file except for the transmitted MAC address, in a temporary MAC address file stored in an external storage device connected to the MAC address management apparatus, when said reception step receives the MAC address write completion notification;
• and
• the delete step of controlling to delete the transmitted MAC address from the MAC address file after said rewrite step rewrites the MAC addresses in the temporary MAC address file.

A computer-readable storage medium which stores an MAC address management program for controlling an MAC address management apparatus having storage means for storing an MAC address file storing a plurality of MAC addresses and a temporary MAC address file, comprising codes of:

• the transmission step of controlling to read out one MAC address from the MAC address file and transmit the MAC address to a network interface device in order to assign an MAC address to the network interface device to be connected to a network;
• the reception step of controlling to receive an MAC address write completion notification indicating that the transmitted MAC address has been assigned to the network interface device;
• the rewrite step of controlling to rewrite, in the temporary MAC address file, MAC addresses of the MAC address file except for the transmitted MAC address, when said reception step receives the MAC address write completion notification;
• and
• the delete step of controlling to delete the transmitted MAC address from the MAC address file after said rewrite step rewrites the MAC addresses in the temporary MAC address file.

A computer-readable storage medium which stores an MAC address management program for controlling an MAC address management apparatus having storage means for storing an MAC address file comprising a plurality of MAC addresses, comprising codes of:

• the transmission step of controlling to read out one MAC address from the MAC address file and transmit the MAC address to a network interface device in order to assign an MAC address to the network interface device to be connected to a network;
• the reception step of controlling to receive an MAC address write completion notification indicating that the transmitted MAC address has been assigned to the network interface device;
• the rewrite step of controlling to rewrite MAC addresses of the MAC address file except for the transmitted MAC address, in a temporary MAC address file stored in an external storage device connected to the MAC address management apparatus, when said reception step receives the MAC address write completion notification;
• and
• the delete step of controlling to delete the transmitted MAC address from the MAC address file after said rewrite step controls to rewrite the MAC addresses in the temporary MAC address file.