MAN´A: Uma Arquitetura para Gerenciamento de Redes de ... - UFMG

4 1.3. THESIS ORGANIZATION
• An approach to define management functions for WSNs as well as a list of
management functions and services which can be performed automatically, semi-
automatically, and manually;
• A proposition of new WSN models to represent network states in different perspec-
tives;
• A WSN characterization through a functional model;
• An information model for WSNs;
• A framework for developing WSN applications and management solutions based on
the Network Simulator Tool (NS-2), called MANNASim;
• The use of a new paradigm called autonomic management;
Some of the contributions and results of this work have been published in parallel with
its development [52, 53, 54, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 92, 93, 103, 104]. In some cases,
the documents presented aspects in more details than this thesis, for a matter of space.
The progress of the WSNs area is notable. When this work began, there were few
works published and various proposals still bide their time to be published. Management
of WSNs is a new research area that only recently started to receive attention from the
research community. Thus, when this work has started, there was no specific work in this
theme. Such a scenario imposes some difficulties to perform this project as well as good
opportunities.
1.3 Thesis Organization
This thesis has an approach to a perspective on emerging wireless sensor management,
covering management issues and technologies, proposing a network management architec-
ture, an information model and some schemes establishing a management functions list,
building a simulation framework and presenting new research opportunities.