Publisher's Synopsis
Although networks are widespread today, their management remains difficult because of the complex heterogeneity of the environment (LAN, MAN, multi-manufacturer, multi-media, multi-domain). A variety of computational techniques are required and different points of view must be taken into account to achieve a complete network management system. Firstly, management information must be extracted from network components and manipulated by the integrator (proxy agent). Secondly, management data must be maintained in the Management Information Base and distributed to the various management applications. Thirdly, management applications must be provided for diverse objectives, including: the functional objective (performance, configuration, accounting, fault security); the responsibility objective (network element, network, services, business management); the organizational objective (server resources management); and the domain objective (public, private). A variety of tools (expert systems, blackboard, man/machine interface) must be designed to optimize the system responses. Fourthly, these points of view must be integrated in a global and distributed environment.;This publication examines the benefits of advanced information processing techniques for different local network management problems and considers the current academic and industrial research being carried out. It provides an overview of the area for specialists, students and the network-using public and aims to stimulate further progress in the designing of local network management.
