Chapter 14
Network Management
In this chapter we introduce network management in Section 14.1. Then in Section 14.2 we describe some of the best known frameworks/models for network management in the industry. We spend the rest of the chapter focusing on a very important protocol for network management, SNMP.
14.1 Requirements and Concepts
What comes to mind when the phrase network management is heard? Somebody may say that it is about maintaining the network, keeping it “well oiled” and running smoothly, replacing routers that are failing, upgrading equipment to handle increasing traffic loads as the number of customers increases, and so on. Another person may point out that even aside from the maintenance work, the regular daily operations of the network themselves need management. This person may point out that service providers have network operation centers (NOCs) where operators will monitor the network. If an alarm arrives at the NOC, perhaps indicating a link failure somewhere in the network, serious congestion, or something else of that nature, the operators may dispatch service people to take appropriate action. Other operational aspects might include handling of trouble tickets. Yet another person might say that when she thinks of network management, she thinks of handling new subscribers. There must be systematic and orderly processes for adding their information to the subscription and billing databases, and for turning on and activating various features to which they ...
