Network Management

1
Network Management

• Management Tools
• Desirable features
• Management Architectures
• Simple Network Management Protocol

2
Think your PC is expensive?

• Typical PC cost 1,500
• Typical cost to manage that PC 7,700
• Total 9,200

84 of costs stem from management
http//www.3com.com/news/releases/pr00/sep1800a.
html
3
Team-work

• Brainstorm What are the major problems for
  Network Managers?

• Teams Find solutions!

4
Key Network Management Functions

• Configuration management
• Performance management
• System tuning and capacity planning
• Fault management
• Security
• Accounting management

5
Tasks for Network Managers

• Plan, organize, direct, control, staff the
  voice/data network operation
• Manage operations and provide support
• Ensure reliability
• Manage LANs and connections to backbone
• Keep abreast of technological developments
• Manage the communications budget
• Evaluate and acquire communications hardware,
  software, and services

6
Hardware Tools for network management

• Cable testers
• Error rate testers
• Protocol analyzers
• Response time monitors
• Self-testing devices.

7
Software Tools for network management

• Inventory tracking
• Numara Track-it
• License metering
• Software distribution
• Trouble ticketing
• Simulation modeling
• Workload generators
• Network utilization overviews

8
Network Management Standards

• OSI Model /CMIP
• International standard (ISO/OSI)
• Management of data communications networks LAN
  and WAN
• Deals with all seven layers
• Most complete model
• Object-oriented
• Well structured and layers
• Consumes large resource in implementation
• Internet Model/SNMP
• TMN
• International standard (ITU-T)
• Management of telecommunications network
• Based on OSI network management framework
• Addresses both network and administrative aspects
  of management
• IEEE LAN/WAN
• IEEE standards adopted internationally
• Addresses management of LANs and MANs
• Adopts OSI standards significantly
• Deals with first two layers of the OSI Reference
  Model

9
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

• What is it?
• A Protocol that Facilitates the exchange of
  management information
• between network devices.
• Why was it developed?
• To control and monitor status of network devices
• How is it beneficial?
• Enables network administrators to
• Manage network performance
• Find and solve network problems
• Plan for network growth

10
SNMP Basic Components

• Network Management station
• Collects and stores management information, and
  makes this information available to NMS using
  SNMP
• Could be a work station or PC
• Network Management System (NMS)
• Executes applications that monitor and control
  managed devices
• Agent
• A network-management software module that resides
  in a managed device
• Management Information Base (MIB)
• Used by both the manager and the agent to store
  and exchange management information

11

NMS
Network Management Architecture
User Interface

• Management Station

Network Management Application
AGENT
AGENT
AGENT
MIB
MIB
MIB
Managed Devices
Router
Printer
Host
12
How SNMP Works
MIB SNMP Agent
Network Management Station
Get-request Request value of variable.
Get-next-request Request the value of next
variable (like a table).
Set-request update one or more variables (for
reconfiguration).
Get-response agents sends a reply to manager.
Traps agent notifies manager about an abnormal
situation.
13
With a Network Management System, you can monitor
a large network from a central console.
14
Remote Monitor (RMON)

• A tool to analyzes performance, and monitor
  information that is gathered and locally analyzed
  that can then be transmitted to remote network
  segment(s).
• Works on a standalone and distributed agent
  modes.
• Gathers and feeds information to a network
  management system.

Ethernet LAN Segment
Router
Network Management Station
Workstation
Ethernet LAN Segment
RMON Architecture
Router
Workstation
15
RMON features

• Monitor station frame counts, byte counts and
  percentage of traffic generated
• Assign user names to network addresses
• Show network utilization (GUI interface)
• Identify stations with errors
• Set network alarms, station alarms
• Log network alarm activity to file or printer
• Comprehensive traffic statistics screen
• Test the attached cable
• Generate various hardcopy reports.

16
Summary

• Network management is becoming increasingly
  important with the advent of larger networks
• Network management costs are high
• Automated tools can lower management cost.
• Vendors finally paying belated attention to it.
• Standards such as SNMP and SNMPv2 are now
  emerging and are being adopted widely.

17
A dose of reality

• Raise your hand if you believe that management
  standards are going to help you manage your
  network. Anyone? That's what we thought
• If airline seating operated the way most
  networks do, those passengers first in line would
  sit in first class

Source http//www.networkcomputing.com/1117/1117f
3.html?lsNCJS_1117rt