Patent ID: 7555007

Claim:
A system for integrally controlling a plurality of network means comprising: a first management means for connecting a first network, the first network using a first protocol, and a second network, the second network using a second protocol that is the same as or is different from the first protocol, and a second management means connected to the first management means on a side of the second network, wherein a plurality of network connection means are connected to the first management means on a side of the first network, wherein: (a) each of the plurality of network connection means comprises: storage means for storing identification data of the network connection means; means for transmitting a data packet to find the first management means; means for receiving identification data of the first management means, in response to the data packet, from the first management means; means for converting the received identification data of the first management means to connection data of the first management means; and means for transmitting the identification data of the network connection means stored in the storage means to the first management means using the connection data of the first management means received from the converting means; (b) the first management means comprises: means for receiving the identification data of the network connection means from each of the plurality of network connection means; means for transmitting the received identification data to the second management means; means for transmitting configuration data of the network connection means, in response to the transmitted identification data, from the second management means to the network connection means; and address conversion means for converting addresses between the first and second protocols when the first and second protocols are different, and for not converting addresses between the first and second protocols when the first and second protocols are the same; and (c) the second management means comprises: storage means for storing configuration data of the plurality of network connection means; means for receiving, from the first management means, the identification data transmitted from each of the plurality of network connection means; and means for obtaining the configuration data of the network connection means identified using the received identification data from the storage means, and transmitting the obtained configuration data to the first management means, thereby realizing integral management of the plurality of network connection means.