On System Designs of Distributed, Extensible Framework for Network Monitoring and Control

In this paper, we present a distributed, extensible framework for supporting adaptive, dynamic network monitoring and control. We borrow the paradigm of management by delegation [8] and distribute some processing intelligence to network elements. The functionality of the delegated agents, and even that of the native software processes, could be extended dynamically without recompilation. Such procedure is called change of logic and we explain it in the framework of communicating finite state machines for extending native process functionality. We use Java technology and C/C++ dynamic linkage mechanism to achieve the standard hosting infrastructure for these agents and our system designs span a wide scope of applications

Distributed Intelligent Monitoring and Reporting Facilities

Abstract: Distributed intelligent monitoring and reporting facilities are of paramount importance in both service and network management as they provide the capability to monitor quality of service and utilisation parameters and notify degradation so that corrective action can be taken. By intelligent, we refer to the capability of performing the monitoring tasks in a way that has the smallest possible impact on the managed network, facilitates the observation and summarisation of information according to a number of criteria and in its most advanced form, permits the specification of these criteria dynamically to suit the particular policy in hand. In addition, intelligent monitoring facilities should minimise the design and implementation effort involved in such activities. The ISO/ITU Metric, Summarisation and Performance management functions provide models that only partially satisfy the above requirements. This paper describes our extensions to the proposed models to support further capabilities, with the intention to eventually lead to fully dynamically defined monitoring policies. The concept of distributing intelligence is also discussed, including the consideration of security issues and the applicability of the model in ODP-based distributed processing environments