Management Integration

Network Management

Spring 2014

Bahador Bakhshi

CE & IT Department, Amirkabir University of Technology

This presentation is based on the slides listed in references.

Outline

Introduction

Integration perspectives

Integration challenges

Integration approaches

Summary

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Outline

Introduction

Integration perspectives

Integration challenges

Integration approaches

Summary

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The Basic Ingredients of Network Management

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Previous Lecture: Management Functionalities

Current Lecture: How are these functionalities implemented and integrated?

Non-integrated Network Management

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Integrated Network Management

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Management Integration

Different management functions diverse set of management applications complicated NM

Management integration seamlessly integrated and end-to-end management support Avoids manual procedure and human errors Avoids cost of employing and training many operators Reduces amount of redundant data Reduces management overhead (traffic, computation,

storage) Facilitates management of the management itself …

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Outline

Introduction

Integration perspectives

Integration challenges

Integration approaches

Summary

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NM Integration Perspectives What is the scope of the NM integration?

It depends on who answers Different perspectives of NM integration

Equipment vendors perspective Integrating various element management functions

Enterprise perspective Integrate management of a network that includes a wide range of

different types of devices

Service provider perspective Many different tools have to be integrated

Each of which might be “fully integrated” from their limited perspective

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Equipment Vendor Perspective Integrated element management application to configure, audit,

monitored, back up, restored, … of the vendor equipments

Open and well-documented interfaces as part of the management applications

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Enterprise Perspective End-to-End Multi-vendor Network management

Network level & End-to-End management applications: topology & Routing Multi vendor support

Vendor-dependent EMSs need to be either replaced by a vendor-independent system or complemented by systems that integrate certain EMS functions

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Service Provider Perspective Service & Business on multivendor Network

End-to-end connectivity though different devices Different services provisioning & monitoring Billing using customer, service, accounting information

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Integration Scope & Importance & Cost

As it becomes more important to address management integration in larger scope, it becomes more difficult to do so

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High CAPEX

High OPEX

Outline

Introduction

Integration perspectives

Integration challenges

Integration approaches

Summary

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Management Integration Challenges

Two dimensions affecting NM integration complexity Management functions need to be integrated across the

managed domain Device heterogeneity

Different features, different mgmt interface, different MIB, … Services heterogeneity

Different provisioning mechanism, QoS parameters, …

Different management functions have to be integrated FCAPS functions have many common sub-functions Relation between functions, e.g., FM needs access to

CMDB, which is managed by CM

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Management Integration Challenges

Heterogeneity complexity f(#vendors) * f(#device types) * f(#technologies)

Function complexity f(#management functions) * f(integration depth)

Scale complexity f(#ports, #devices)

Management integration complexity scale complexity ~ (heterogeneity complexity * function

complexity)

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Management Integration Challenges Software architecture complications

Challenges due to heterogeneous application requirements Scalable meanwhile cost-efficient Flexible & extensible to support new devices

Challenges from conflicting software architecture goals Different management functions can impose conflicting

requirements on the software architecture

Trying to address the needs of multiple management function in a single system inevitably leads to situations in which the best that can be accomplished might be a compromise Build multiple applications that each serves a particular purpose

and simply make sure that they can work well together

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Outline

Introduction

Integration perspectives

Integration challenges

Integration approaches

Summary

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NM Integration Approaches The integration problem is generally too large to be

tackled all at once Trade-off (partial integration) Not to integrate certain aspects, to lower management

integration complexity and cost, at expense of operations Where to make the cut? (an optimization problem)

Place where a high reduction in management integration complexity and cost results, yet operations efficiency is minimally impacted

How to find the cut? Look at NM dimensions and decide which dimension is the most

crucial for integration minimize the interactions E.g. “function dimension” integrated fault management for all devices E.g., “management layer” integrated application for service provisioning

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NM Integration: Platform Approach A common approach to management integration is using a

management platform Software system that provides common infrastructure services for

management applications (NM Middleware/Application server) Typically, software development kits that facilitate the development

of additional functionality

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NM Integration: Platform Approach Typically, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)

Applications need to use those services interact and exchange information with the platform components that provide those services

Some common example services Database, Device communication (mgmt protocols),

Network discovery & inventory, Network configuration cache, Current alarms state, Event collection & registration, GUI framework & API, …

Some common example applications Topology viewer, MIB browser, Alarm viewer, basic alarm

correlation & filtering, …

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NM Integration: Platform Approach

Different device support? Device-specific application logic is not hard-coded into the

algorithms of the management platform

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NM Integration: Custom Approach

Consists of multiple management systems and applications (components) integrated to work together and collectively form the operations support infrastructure that is used to manage the network Might better fit the particular needs of an operations

support organization

Issues: Well-defined scope of functionality

All management required functionalities should be covered by components

Component functionalities may overlap

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Custom Integration Issues

Issues (cont’d): Northbound interface, allowing other applications

and components on top of it to “flow through” operations to the network

Different requirements (OS, DB, …) by different components

Data mediation between components Harder to keep updated Umbrella component: a central coordinator

Such as work-flow: integration activities on system

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Outline

Introduction

Integration perspectives

Integration challenges

Integration approaches

Summary

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Summary In service provider networks, an integrated system is used for

network management

OSS (Operations Support System) Software applications that support back-office activities which operate

a telco’s network, provision and maintain customer services

BSS (Business Support System) Software applications that support customer-facing activities. Billing, order management, customer relationship management, call

centre automation, are BSS applications

In the past, OSS & BSS had a clearer separation; current trend integrated OSS/BSS software

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References

Reading Assignment: Chapter 10 of “Alexander Clemm, ‘Network Management Fundamentals’ , Cisco Press, 2007”

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