Distributed plug-and-play network management model based on mobile agents

Abstract

As network is developing to distribution and heterogeneity, legacy network management systems do not work efficiently on operator-intensive distribution of management tasks. A distributed plug-and-play network management model is presented to implement an automatic and self-adapting network management system. In this model, network components can automatically locate the proper management stations, which are configured in specified function, as added to network and get initial management tasks without human intervention. We adopt mobile agent infrastructure to communicate and fulfill management tasks, thus improve the flexibility and autonomy. Moreover, it makes extension and update of management tasks at run-time, thus increases self-adapting capability of the model.