1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to setting an address of a network apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a network apparatus, a method for performing a setting via the network apparatus, a program, and a storage medium that enable setting of an address utilizing a specific mark.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, it is characteristic of a network apparatus that uses a communication method to support an Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) function. IPv6 is a protocol presently regarded as a next-generation version of an Internet Protocol (IP), which is a standard communication protocol used in a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet) or a local area network (LAN) in a business office.
IPv6 can handle a larger number of IP addresses than previous protocols, such as IPv4. In this regard, a presently used standard IP (according to IPv4) has an IP address size of 32 bits. That is, in a standard IP, the total number of addresses is limited to 232.
However, with a rapidly expanding use of network apparatuses, possible exhaustion of IP addresses is becoming a significant issue.
As is well known to persons skilled in the art, addresses in IPv6 are 128 bits long, as defined by the Network Working Group Request for Comments (NWG/RFC) 4291. That is, the total number of addresses in IPv6 can be increased to as many as 2128. With IPv6 having such large number of available addresses, the problem of exhaustion of addresses is addressed. Accordingly, recently, more and more network apparatus products support an IPv6 function as their standard, as in an apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-350133.
As described above, addresses in IPv6 are 128 bits long. An IPv6 address is generally notated by hexadecimal notation using a colon (“:”) mark, as in the following.
“1111:2222:3333:4444:5555:AAAA:BBBB:CCCC”
That is, in notating an IPv6 address, a 128-bit long address is divided into a plurality of groups of digits in units of 16 bits, using a colon (“:”) mark as a separator. Hereinbelow, a group of digits divided per 16 bits is referred to as a “field”.
An IPv6 address includes eight fields. It is regulated that digits in the 16-bit field are notated according to hexadecimal notation.
An IPv6 address is notated as described above. However, since a large number of digits are used in an IPv6 address, an IPv6 can be notated in abbreviation according to specific abbreviation regulations.
First, leading zeros in units of a byte in each 16-bit field can be omitted. For example, an IPv6 address that is notated as “1111:0222:0033:0004:5555:AAAA:BBBB:CCCC”, can be notated in abbreviation as “1111:222:33:4:5555:AAAA:BBBB:CCCC”.
Second, if one or more field(s) is “0000”, the zeros can be omitted and replaced with two colons (“::”). For example, an IPv6 address “1111:2222:0:0:0:AAAA:BBBB:CCCC” can be shortened to “1111:2222::AAAA:BBBB:CCCC”.
The abbreviating notation of a field including zeros can be used only once in one IPv6 address. For example, an IPv6 address “1111:0:0:0:5555:0:0:CCCC”, which includes two “0” fields, can be notated in abbreviation as either “1111::5555:0:0:CCCC” or “1111:0:0:0:5555::CCCC”.
As described above, in notating an IPv6 address, zeros in adjacent 16-bit fields can be abbreviated with colons (“::”). However, in setting an IPv6 address using abbreviation marks, the following problems can arise.
In inputting an IPv6 address of a network apparatus or a domain name system (DNS) server, or in inputting an IPv6 address during performing a setting for IP filtering, a user of a network apparatus generally uses a software keyboard or numeric keypads. In this case, in inputting digits for an address notated by abbreviating adjacent zeros in its field(s) using colons (“::”), a user of a network apparatus can experience difficulties entered this information on a touch panel.
A user, in inputting colons (“::”) via a software keyboard, presses an existing colon button (a button that enables the user to input a colon (“:”)) twice. However, in the case of a touch panel, in pressing the same button twice or more, it is typically necessary for the user to press the button at a sufficient time interval to correctly and properly input desired digits or marks.
Accordingly, when the user believes two colons (“::”) have been correctly input, the touch panel may not correctly recognize the user's instruction. As such, it is necessary for the user, in pressing a colon button twice, to pay attention to press the button at a specific time interval. Thus, the user can feel very uncomfortable during performing setting.
In this regard, it is possible that a graphic user interface (GUI) that does not require a user to press a key (colon) multiple times and continuously input the entire 128 bits while an input form is divided in the unit of 16 bits could allow a user to input digits and marks per 16-bit field. However, such a GUI can restrict an address expression by the user.
That is, when a user without an extensive network protocol knowledge, i.e., a user who does not know the abbreviation regulations for the notation of an IPv6 address, desires to input an IPv6 address notated in abbreviation on a GUI as it is, the user can not easily know how to input the address according to the input form.