Understanding the network.pdf - Back to Home

Managing these complex systems was a monumental task. In most cases, separate
management and configuration systems were required to manage all the different
system resources. These systems were comprised of custom tools to extract data
from all of the subsystems, and this complexity was expensive in terms of
development and personnel costs. It was also very difficult to integrate new
resources or products that were made by different manufacturers.
When LAN and WAN networks began to emerge in the 1980s with the introduction of
the personal computer, similar configuration, management, and monitoring began
to appear for computer networks. These new technologies were proprietary.
Standards bodies, manufacturers, network managers, and network providers
realized that there was a need for "universal" standards-based automated network
management.
NOTE
In the 1980s, there were no Internet service providers (ISPs). Instead, the
"Internet" was a collection of regional networks managed by government and
research entities. Internet standards were developed by the Internet Activities
Board/Internet Architecture Board (IAB) and the Internet Engineering Task Force
(IETF).
Network Management Functions and Architectures
Network management is a complex undertaking. Even the name "network
management" is confusing, because unlike systems management, the
circumstances constantly change. Network management consists of separate and
distinct tasks that contribute to the management of a complex collection of
interdependent systems. The primary network management functions include the
following:
• Physical infrastructure, interconnection cabling and patch panel design,
installation and management, end-station patching and network hardware
installation. Cable testing and length validation also fall into this category.
• Device configuration, bridge, router, switch, and repeater configuration.
Backup, archiving, and documenting device configurations. Creating and
updating network topology maps, showing device relationships, installation
location, and other basic configuration information (IP address, device type,
manufacture, and so on). Proper network documentation is essential when
diagnosing network problems and performing performance testing.