Introduction to Network Management
Chu-Sing Yang Department of Electrical Engineering National Cheng Kung University
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
The Case for Management
Remote User
Typical problem
Remote user arrives at regional office and experiences slow or no response from corporate web server
Regional Offices
Where do you begin?
Where is the problem? What is the problem? What is the solution?
WWW Servers
Without proper network management, these questions are difficult to answer
Corp Network
The Case for Management
Remote User
With proper management tools and procedures in place, you may already have the answer Consider some possibilities
What configuration changes were made overnight? Have you received a device fault notification indicating the issue? Have you detected a security breach? Has your performance baseline predicted this behavior on an increasingly congested network link?
Regional Offices
WWW Servers
Corp Network
Solving Problem Procedure
An accurate database of your networks topology, configuration, and performance A solid understanding of the protocols and models used in communication between your management server and the managed devices Methods and tools that allow you to interpret and act upon gathered information
Response Times
High Availability
Security
Predictability
Introduction
Network Management System (NMS)
Automatic versus human effort Increased network size Increased complexity
Heterogeneous equipment Equipment from multiple vendors
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
Network Management Requirements
Ease of use Security features Restoral capability Ability to delete/add Ability to monitor network availability Traffic rerouting Improved automation User registration Improved reporting Ability to monitor response time
Network Management Requirements
Control corporate strategic assets Control complexity Improve service Balance various needs Reduce downtime Control cost
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
Introduction to SNMP
Simple Network Management Protocol
Provides a tool
for multi-vender, interoperable network management used across a broad spectrum of product types
include end systems, bridges, switches, routers and telecommunications equipment
TCP/IP based
Simple Network Management Protocol
A set of standards for network management
a protocol a data base structure specification a set of data objects
SNMP Family
SNMPv1
Proposed in 1989
SNMPv2
Proposed in 1993 Revised in 1995 An upgrade to SNMPv1 Add functional enhancements to SNMP and codify the use of SNMP on OSI-based networks
SNMP Family (cont.)
SNMPv3
Issued in 1998 Define a security capability for SNMP and an architecture for future enhancements Used with the functionality provided by SNMPv2 or SNMPv1
RMON
Remote network MONitoring A supplement to SNMP Extend the capabilities of SNMP to include management of LANs as well as the devices attached to those networks RMON 1 issued in 1991 RMON 2 issued in 1995
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
OSI Management Functional Areas
Fault management Configuration management Accounting management Performance management Security management
Fault Management
The facilities that enable the detection, isolation, and correction of abnormal operation of the OSI environment What is a fault?
An abnormal condition that requires management attention (or action) to repair Indicated by failure to operate correctly or by excessive
errors
Communication line is cut A crimp in the cable Certain errors may occur occasionally and are not normally considered to be faults
Fault Management
When a fault occurs
Determine exactly where the fault is Isolate the rest of the network from the failure Reconfigure or modify the network to minimize the impact of operation Repair or replace the failed components
User requirements for Fault Management
Fast and reliable problem resolution
Receive notification and correct the problem immediately Requires rapid and reliable fault detection and diagnostic management Provides fault tolerance
Redundant components and alternate communication routes Fault management capability itself should be redundant
Keep informed of the network status
Reassurance of correct network operation through mechanisms that use tests or analyze dumps, logs, alerts, or statistics
Problem tracking and control
Ensure the problem is truly resolved and no new problems are introduced
Fault management should have minimal effect on network performance
Configuration Management
Configuration management is concerned with
Initializing a network Gracefully shutting down part or all of the network Maintaining, adding, and updating the relationships among components and the status of components themselves during network operation
Requirements for Configuration Management
The network manager needs the capability to
Identify initially the components that comprise the network Define and change the connectivity of components Define and modify default attributes, and load the predefined sets of attributes into the specified network components Reconfigure a network for performance evaluation, network upgrade, fault recovery or security checks
End users want to inquire about the upcoming status of resources and their attributes before reconfiguration
Generate configuration reports
Periodic basis Response for a request
Only authorized end users can manage and control network operation (software distribution and updating)
Accounting Management
The facilities that enable
charges to be established for the use of managed objects costs to be identified for the use of those managed objects
Accounting Management
Network managers track the use of network resources by end user or end-user class
An end user or group of end users may be abusing its access privileges and burdening the network at the expense of other users End users may be making inefficient use of the network, and network manager can assist in changing procedures to improve performance The network manager is easier to plan for network growth if end user activity is known in sufficient detail
Requirements for Accounting Management
The network manager can specify
The kinds of accounting information to be recorded at various nodes The desired interval between sending the recorded information to higher-level management nodes The algorithms to be used in calculating the charging
Generate accounting reports Provide the capability to verify end users authorization to access and manipulate the information
Performance Management
The facilities needed to evaluate
The behavior of managed objects The effectiveness of communication activities
Functions of performance management
Monitoring
Tracks activities on the network Enables performance management to make adjustments to improve network performance
Controlling
Issues of Performance Management
What is the level of capacity utilization? Is there excessive traffic? Has throughput been reduced to unacceptable levels? Are there bottlenecks? Is response time increasing?
To Deal the Issues of PM
The network manager focus on some initial set of resources to be monitored in order to assess performance levels
Appropriate metrics and values with relevant network resources as indicators of different levels of performance
The count of retransmission on a transport connection
Monitor many resources to provide information in determining network operating level Collect and analyze information, and then using the resultant analysis as feedback to the prescribed set of values
User Requirements for Performance Management
End users want to know
The average and worst case response times The reliability of network services
Performance statistics can help managers
Plan, manage and maintain large networks Recognize potential bottlenecks in advance
Balance or redistribute traffic load by changing routing tables
Security Management
The facilities that address those aspects of OSI security essential to
Operate OSI network management correctly Protect managed objects
Network resources End user information
End users want to know
The proper security policies are in force and effective The management of security facilities is itself secure
Issues of Security Management
Managing information protection, and access control facilities
Generating, distributing and storing encryption keys Passwords, authorization or access control information must be maintained and distributed
Monitoring and controlling access to computer networks and to all or part of the network management information
SM involves with the collection, storage, and examination of audit records and security logs The enabling and disabling of these logging facilities
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
Network Management Systems (NMS)
NMS is a collection of tools for network monitoring and control
Designed to view the entire network as a unified architecture
Addresses and labels assigned to each point Specific attributes of each element and link known to the system
Single operator interface with a powerful but user-friendly set of commands A minimal amount of separate equipment (hardware/software) is necessary
NMS software resides in the host computers and communications processors (bridges, routers)
Network Management Systems
The active elements of the network provide regular feedback of status information to the network control center NMS for single vendor equipment versus for multiple-vendor network Two or more network control centers are used
High availability (backup) One center is idle or collecting statistics The other center is used for control
Network
Network control Host (manager) NMA NME OS Appi
anagement S stem
Server (agent)
NME
Appi
Comm
Comm OS
Workstation (agent) NME Appi
Router (agent)
NMA = network management application
NME Comm OS
NME = network management entity Appl = application Comm = communications software OS = Operating system
Comm OS
Network Management Configuration
Network Management Element (NME)
Contains a collection of software devoted to the NM task in each network node Collects statistics Stores statistics locally Responds to commands from network control center (manager) Transmit collect statistics to manager Change a parameters (a timer in a transport protocol) Provide status information Generate artificial traffic for testing Send messages to network control center for significant changes in local conditions Referred to as an agent Agents are implemented in end systems and nodes
Network Management Configuration
Network Management Application (NMA)
Include an operator interface to allow an authorized user to manage the network Respond to user commands
Display information Issue commands to NMEs through the network
Communicate with and control NME in other nodes
Application-level network management protocol
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
Network Management Software Architecture
Three categories
User presentation software Network management software Communications and database support software
Architectural model of NMS
Unified user nterface Presentation of network management nformation to users
Network Management application
. . .
Network Management application
pplication element
pplication element
. . .
Network management data transport service
M B access module
Communications protocol stack
Management information base
Managed networks
pplication element
User Presentation Software
An interface in manager systems
Monitor and control the network
An interface in agent systems
Network testing and debugging View or set parameters locally
Presentation tools
Organize, summarize, and simplify the information as much as possible to avoid information overload Graphical presentations User interface should be the same at any node, regardless of vender
Network Management Software
Three-layer architecture
Network management application layer Application element layer Network management data transport service layer
Network Management Software (Cont)
Network management application
Provides services of interest to users
FCAPS
Each application covers a broad area of network management and should exhibit consistency over various types of configurations (LAN, WAN, ..)
Application elements
Implement primitive and general-purpose network management functions
Generating alarms or summarizing data
Implement basic tools used by one or more network management applications Developed based on software reuse
Network Management Data Transport Service
The module consists of
A NM protocol used to exchange management information among managers and agents A service interface to the application elements
Provides very primitive functions (get, set and trap)
Communication & Database Support Software
Network management software needs access to a local MIB, and to remote agents and managers Local MIB at an agent contains
Information reflecting the configuration and behavior of this node Parameters used to control the operation of this node
Local MIB at a manager contains
Node-specific information Summary information about agents under control
Communication & Database Support Software
MIB access module
Include basic file management software that enables access to the MIB Convert local MIB format to a standardized form across the NMS
Communications protocol stack
OSI or TCP/IP stack Support the network management protocol Support communications among agents and managers
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
Distributed Network Management
A centralized NMS enables the manager to maintain control over the entire configuration, balancing resource against needs and optimizing the overall utilization of resources Why distributed network management?
The proliferation of low-cost, high power PCs & workstations The proliferation of departmental LANs Local control and optimization of distributed applications Distributed computing
Architecture of distributed network management
Hierarchical architecture Department-level managers Manage downsized applications and PC LANs
Distributed Network Management
Benefits
Network management traffic overhead is minimized Offers greater scalability Eliminates single-point failure
Elements for hierarchical architecture
Distributed management workstations
Given limited access for monitoring and control Manage the departmental resources Global access rights to manage all network resources Interact with less-enabled management stations
One central workstation (with a backup)
Distributed Network Management
Distributed management system architecture
Management clients
Provide the user access to management services and information Provide a graphical user interface May access one or more management servers Support a set of management applications and a MIB Store common management data models Route management information to applications and clients Are managed directly by one or more management servers Through a vendor-specific element manager or proxy
Management servers are the heart of the system
Managed network devices
Typical distributed management system architecture
Management clients ( PCs, workstations )
Network Management server
Management application
Management server
MIB
Management application
MIB
Network
Element manager Element manager
Network resources ( servers, routers, hosts ) with management agents
Outline
Introduction Network Management Requirement SNMP family OSI management function areas Network management system Network management software architecture Distributed network management Proxies
Proxies
Why proxies?
Older systems may not support network management standards Small systems are not suitable to be implemented fullblown NME Some components do not support agent software
Modems and multiplexers
Operations of proxies
Translate requests and responses among managers and the target system Act on behalf of one or more other nodes
Proxy manager architecture
Management application Client stub Protocol stack Proxy manager Management application Client stub Protocol stack
Server stub Protocol stack
Client proxy stub Protocol stack
Standard operations and event reports
Proprietary operations and event reports