Network management in an OSI environment

Abstract

The Corporation for Open systems (COS) is chartered to accelerate the introduction of OSI-conformant products and services. Introduction alone is not enough, if these products and services are to be useful. For a product or service to last beyond its introduction, it must be manageable in the real world. Recognizing the need for manageable products and services, COS plans research in OSI management. The scope of OSI management includes the overall management of seven-layer OSI systems, the management of each layer, and the communications among OSI system management entities and between peer layer management entities. Both system and layer management contain several functions: configuration, fault, security, accounting and performance management. Application management also is a requirement for Open Systems. Not all of these functions are meaningful in every OSI environment, but a consistent management philosophy always will consider each. Developing such a philosophy, as well as guidelines for its implementation, is the mission of the COS OSI Management Subcommittee.