Rethinking manageability - advances and emerging paradigm shifts in managing intelligent IP networks

Abstract

Summary form only given. This tutorial presents a view of the IP network management problem from the perspective of the network itself. It focuses on how to address enhanced manageability requirements in the network infrastructure. This includes what can and should be instrumented inside a network element, and what can and should be instrumented with a scope that goes beyond the individual network element to result in more general "manageability services" provided by the network. We discuss the relevance of manageability as a business driver and provide an in-depth analysis of the various factors that contribute to manageability. After this, techniques are presented that can be applied to enhance manageability, also in light of increased focus on applications such as on-demand services, managed services, and plug-n-play networking. We also discuss the role of certain technologies such as XML and Netflow in the emergence of a new generation of management interfaces. Finally, scenarios are used to illustrate how the resulting advances in manageability facilitate not only the development of management applications, but ultimately result in networks that are more autonomous and "self managing", and less complex and costly to operate than the norm today.