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5.3. “Single IP – Agent mode” application
Single IP is a management utility of network devices for administrator to access private IP
devices through a single IP (real IP or private IP). By this utility, administrator can manage much
more network devices than ever and reduce the demand of real IPs, because every real IP switch
can be an agent host for any network devices in their private IP domain. The Single-IP feature is
able to manage up to 32 devices in the LAN using one IP address.
There are some defects in the current solutions of network management. For example, switches
with legacy “stack” capability have to stack together due to their special limited-length cables,
and have the limitation of stacking quantities and brand compatibility due to hardware
specification. Moreover, administrator always has troubles in finding out the target window
among those multi-display interfaces. Though there are expert network management utilities
available in the current market, like HP OpenView, expensive cost and difficult task of
implementation into embedded system are main drawbacks for their practical application.
Because of the rapid development of Ethernet, the scare of real IP shortage becomes a serious
issue when an enterprise continues its IA growth. It is a resource waste and cost a large expense
that every individual host has its own real IP inside the enterprise’s network. Privates IPs and
NAT function (provided by router, gateway or IP sharing) provide a solution to the shortage of
real IP, but new issue gives rise to that remote user from Internet has no access permission into
the private IP domain, thus an administrator has no choose but accesses the private IP devices
from the very location of the local area network to trouble shoot any problems that network
clients report, until now “Single IP-Agent mode”, one of this switch special features, provides a
new solution for all issues above.
There are benefits of “Single IP-Agent mode”:
1. Reduce the demand of real IP (public IP).
Since there are up to 32 devices which have a IP agent as “Single IP” switch, meaning that
the switch becomes a network agent and handles all functions of these devices, MIS can
reduce the number of hosts that are directly connected to Internet, and make use the saved
real IPs more efficiency.
2. Integrate network devices without modifying hardware or softw are.
“Single IP” is a technique mainly based on application layer in OSI standard. The
connection between master and slave hosts is linked by Ethernet protocol. It is little concern
of hardware and packet transmits. Modifications of hardware or software of the slave hosts
are not necessary. Thanks to the characteristics, single IP switch gives the best compatibility
with other network devices, router, gateway, web server and even another brand switch.
3. Handy User interface without learning complex setting or changing user’s habit of