Managed Object Classes Research Articles

Design and Implementation of TMN SMK System UsingCORBA ORB

In Telecommunications Management Network (TMN), the interworking of manager and agent requires the sharing of management information defined as Shared Management Knowledge (SMK) in ITU-T Recommendation M.3010. SMK includes information on the protocol knowledge, management functions, managed object classes and their instances, and authorization capabilities. We have developed a CORBA-based TMN SMK system in order to provide a dynamic and efficient distributed processing environment for the exchange of management information between managers and agents. In this paper, we discuss the design issues and present the design of a CORBA-based SMK system including the access protocol for obtaining the SMK information from MIB and for SMK context negotiations. Also, our effort on the prototype implementation of an SMK system using ORBeline and OSIMIS is presented. The preliminary performance results of our prototype implementation show that ORB-based SMK information access outperforms CMIS-based SMK information access, and that our approach is an efficient way of exchanging SMK information.

Naming method and its extension to an access controlmodel using the GRM

In the management of globally distributed networks and services, each managed object must be uniquely identified with a globally unique name by managers and be properly access-controlled. The authors propose a solution for global naming and its extension to an access control model using the GRM (General Relationship Model). The global naming method involves use of the relationship concept, rather than containment. In the access model, each managed object class is access controlled by the characteristics inherited from a domain class as a superclass in the inheritance tree of the MIB (Management Information Base).

An object-oriented approach to the implementation of OSI management

Despite the advantages offered by the generality of its model, the effort put into its definition by the standardization bodies and the support of government organizations, OSI management is still far from reaching a predominant stand in the market of network and systems management. Proprietary architectures, products and, especially in the United States, SNMP are still the preferred solutions for many users. One of the main obstacles to the wide adoption of OSI management is the supposed difficulty of its implementation. This article will attempt to show that such complexity can be resolved if the proper tools are chosen and if the intrinsic object-oriented features of OSI management are exploited. The design and implementation of an OSI management library is described. It will be shown that a library implementation is feasible and can suitably exploit the object-oriented structure of the management information: the definition of automatic tools for the implementation of new managed object classes is also covered. Finally, implications related to the handling of extension of the managed object class behaviour are identified. Familiarity with OSI management, object-oriented terminology and C+ +, though not strictly required, is certainly useful.

Requirements for intelligent network service operations

A service operation architecture and operation system platform are proposed that separate commonly used information from operations functions, and that use access control functions. This enables new applications to be developed more easily and increases operating efficiency. The operation system platform is related to several surrounding platforms, and requires standardized reference points such as CMIS/P and managed objects. A managed object methodology is a suitable approach for accessing the operation system platform, and managed object classes and methods are proposed for intelligent network service operations. This architecture and platform will allow telecommunication to meet the demands created by intelligent networks for enhanced customer services, more reliable operation systems, and lower development costs. On the basis of proposed platform, service surveillance prototype systems for free-phone services have already been developed, and the next versions of the service operations systems for virtual private networks services are being developed.

NBBS network management

Network management for Networking BroadBand Services (NBBS), a general-purpose, multiprotocol, high-speed transport backbone is discussed. The paper begins with the objectives and the key choices made in the development of the network management solution. The managed environment for high-speed transport networks and some features of the NBBS architecture that have influenced the network management solution are described, along with the relationship between the network manager and the managed target system agent, the actual communication environment for the Nways™ Switch Manager. The relationship between the Network Management Workstation and an NBBS node acting as a network management agent is presented. The use of managed object classes to provide a Management Information Base (MIB) that may be accessed by a manager using the Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP) to manage NBBS networks is then discussed. Management application models for accounting, configuration, topology, performance, and fa ult management for NBBS are illustrated, showing how they relate to the NBBS managed objects. The paper concludes with a look at future directions for the NBBS management solution.

Automatic translation of OSI managed object classes to C/sup ++/ classes

The paper proposes an algorithm for the translation of textual network management model specifications given in GDMO (Guidelines for the Definition of Managed Objects) to an implementable program and schema specifications in C/sup ++/ Implementation issues of the algorithm are discussed, and a method to integrate the tool in an OSI management environment is proposed. First, the author gives an introduction to the OSI management model and to the GDMO specification language. Next, the needs of an automatic GDMO to C/sup ++/ translation are given. Then, the author gives the details of the translation algorithm, and discusses its implementation issues. And finally, the limitations of the tool and problems encountered are discussed. >

Management information and its optimal allocation for ATM networks with a protection mechanism

This paper focuses on the definition and allocation of management information for ATM broadband networks that adopt the virtual path protection mechanism. The definition of management information is proposed to represent, in accordance with international standards, a virtual path with the protection mechanism. To achieve accurate representation, the proposed method features the two distinct managed object classes derived from the “trail” concept, which has been specified in ITU-TS recommendations. The allocation of management information is optimized by using computer simulations. The criterion for the optimization is the rapidity of tracking the change-over/back and setting up a virtual path. The system that exchanges messages and updates management information is modeled as a queueing system to evaluate the rapidity. Several alternative allocation methods are compared, and the best method is determined.

Towards richer relationship modeling semantics

The paper presents new concepts in the area of relationship modeling in management information. A formal model of relationships between managed object classes is presented. The integration of relationships with object oriented concepts used in information modeling considerably enhances its semantic richness. A foundation for relationship-based navigation using virtual relationships arising from commutativity, transitivity, and distribution semantics is created. Finally, a mechanism using virtual attributes is presented to resolve the problem of encapsulation breakdown arising from relationships between object classes.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Graphical object verifier and managed object class precompiler

During the last two years the International Standards Organization (ISO) IEC JTC1/SC21/WG4 and other ISO Working Groups have defined many Open System Interconnection (OSI) system management standards. These standards have recently reached a stable stage, in the form of the Network Management (NM) Forum working standards, thus providing computer network developers with confidence to implement the OSI network management services. These organizations intend to provide interoperable OSI network management interfaces to network management communities. Today, the developers of network management systems need to widen the management scope of NMSs (i.e. to make proprietary objects visible through their standardization by converting objects into Managed Object Classes). The graphical compiler design outlined here - Graphical Object Verifier and Managed Object Class Precompiler (Ovmop) - reduces much of the expert knowledge required on the part of the implementors of MOCs. It provides a high-level approach to organizing containment graphs by means of prototyping the MOCs hierarchy of a NMS; for example, the NM Forum MOCs.