Avoiding the assignment of duplicate MAC addresses to network interface devices (Part 2)

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the copy step of controlling to copy data stored in the temporary MAC address file to the MAC address file when an abnormality is determined to occur in the MAC address file.

9. 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.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the copy step of copying data stored in the temporary MAC address file of the external storage device to the MAC address file when an abnormality is determined to occur in the MAC address file.

11. 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.

12. The medium according to claim 11, further comprising a code of the copy step of controlling to copy data stored in the temporary MAC address file to the MAC address file when an abnormality is determined to occur in the MAC address file.

13. 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.

14. The medium according to claim 13, further comprising a code of the copy step of copying data stored in the temporary MAC address file of the external storage device to the MAC address file when an abnormality is determined to occur in the MAC address file.