Network Management Overview

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Network Management Overview

• Definitions environment
• Various dimensions, perspectives, approaches
• General architecture of network mgmt
• OSI functional areas
• On the horizon
• Review questions
• Managing your piece of the network

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Network Management Definition 1

• In general, network management is a service that
  employs a number of tools, applications, and
  devices to assist human network managers in
  monitoring and maintaining networks.
• Cisco Network Management Basics

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Network Management Definition 2

• Intuitively, network management encompasses
  tasks associated with planning, deploying,
  configuring, operating, monitoring, tuning,
  repairing, and changing computer networks.
• Comer

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Modern networked systems have

• Many autonomous but cooperating systems
• Heterogeneity (variety of system types, OSes,
  protocols, etc.)
• Both physical and logical structures
• An essential role in modern business

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Non-technical management dimensions

• Business type/needs
• Public/private, internet/Internet/extranet,
  e-commerce or not, real-time or not . . .
• Cost/benefit analyses
• Capital budgeting/investment
• Change management (this is not configuration
  management!)

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Technical management dimensions

• Network types
• LAN, MAN, WAN, VPN, Internet . . .
• Functional areas
• Fault, configuration, accounting, performance,
  security . . .
• Stages
• Planning, installation, operation, change . . .
• Disciplinesmanagement of
• Network, system, information, application,
  enterprise . . .
• Information types
• Data, voice, video, multimedia . . .

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Traditionally distinct

• Applications management
• Transactions processed, reports produced
• Information management
• Records retrieved, tables joined . . .
• Systems management
• End system/OS-dependentCPU cycles, memory . . .
• Network management
• Communications resourceslines, switches, packets
  

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A managed device can be

• Switch (Ethernet, VLAN-capable . . .)
• Router (possibly with firewalling, load balancing
  . . .)
• PC/workstation
• Server (file, DNS, DHCP, Web . . .)
• Printer (or any other input/output device)
• Wireless access point
• Consumer broadband endpoint (Cable/DSL modem)
• Any device that send, receives, or forwards data
  and can provide information about its data flow
• (In practice, anything that can run an SNMP agent
  or can be otherwise monitored and controlled)

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Element versus network management

• We strive for network management
• Vendors often provide element management
• Overall network management is difficult
• Implementing simple functionality on a single
  device is easier
• Proprietary solutions often dont work in
  heterogeneous environments

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Note that we usually do not directly observe or
measure traffic on a network! But . . .

• We can ask devices what they have been doing
• Polling ad-hoc, scheduled, and demand-based
• We can tell devices to notify us when something
  unusual is detected
• Traps send when pre-specified conditions occur
• We can place special data collection devices on
  the network
• Probes dedicated hardware, a PC with special
  software, even a hub or switch put there for
  management purposes

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OSI net mgmt model FCAPS

• Fault
• detect, log, isolate, notify affected parties of,
  and fix problems
• Configuration
• retrieve and set operational parameters
• Accounting
• promote efficient use, control, and chargeback
• Performance
• gather data, construct baselines, and detect
  deviations from baselines
• Security
• identify sensitive resources map users to
  resources appropriately

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To start you thinking . . .

• (Fault mgmt) Why is fixing a fault often not your
  first priority?
• (Config. mgmt) Whats necessary to configure many
  heterogeneous devices at once?
• (Accounting mgmt) Is accounting importance
  different on a LAN versus a WAN?
• (Perf. mgmt) Whats the ultimate perf. mgmt goal?
  Line utilization ? Something else?
• (Sec. mgmt) Whats the ultimate sec. mgmt goal?
  Minimize break-ins? Other?

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Approaches related to net mgmt

• SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol
• CMIP Common Management Information Protocol
• DMTF Desktop Management Task Force
• TMN Telecommunications Management Network
• WBEM Web-Based Enterprise Management
• JMX Java Management Extensions
• DCE Distributed Computing Environment extensions
• CORBA Common Object Request Broker Architecture
  extensions
• ODP Open Distributed Processing extensions
• XML-based approaches

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The Preferred Perspective of this Class to
Network Management (SHOPS)

• Scalable (to tens of thousands of nodes if
  necessary or desirable)
• Heterogeneous (many devices, OSes, etc.)
• Open-systems oriented (not proprietary NOS
  oriented)
• Programmable/scriptable (for automation of
  management functions)
• Standards-based (e.g., SNMP)

Notethis addresses Comers point that manual
network management is slow and inconsistent
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Notable trends

• Continuing integration of data, voice, multimedia
• More sensitivity to Q of S, security, mobility,
  globalization
• Peer-to-peer information sharing
• Metacomputing (distributed, virtual computing
  structures, including virtual servers, systems,
  networks, and grid computing)
• Network service providers, delegated/outsourced
  network management . . .
• Transitioning from manual to automated network
  management (Comer emphasis)

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Question

• An unauthorized application is consuming 60 of
  our Internet bandwidth. We can control it with
  an initial investment of 5,000 plus an
  additional 1,000 per month. Should we control
  it?

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Always keep in mind . . .

• If the management functionality does not
  directly or indirectly solve a business problem,
  it is totally useless . . .
• Network ManagementWhat it is and what it
  isntStevenson 1995

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Hands-On Preview When you manage a network
device, you will do these things

• Establish management communication
• Establish network connectivity
• Do initial configuration
• Configure SNMP agent for polling
• Poll from a management station
• Configure SNMP agent for test traps
• Receive traps at a management station
• Analyze data and set baseline parameters
• Adjust trap settings
• Refine and enhance configuration, data
  collection, analysis . . .

Document everything throughout!