CS5440 Networks Management

Introduction to Networks Management

Instructor: Mphatsi L.A.

Office: SCN202
Email: la.mphatsi@gmail.com
 Outline

• Networks Management
– Importance
– Concerns
• What is networks management
• Roles of a Network Manager
• Stakeholders in Networks Management
• Network management challenges
• The need for standardization
• Network management infrastructure
 Networks Management Importance

• Network Management is an essential factor to a successfully

operating a network.
• A properly managed network ensures the following:
– high services uptime (99.999%)
– high availability of resources.
– Network equipment is used effectively and deployed where mostly
needed.
– Helps to keep networking cost and operational cost under control.
– Increases availability and quality of network services and resources.

• In the case of service providers, network management is also a

essential factor in the generation of revenue from network services.
 Networks management concerns

• On the other hand, ineffective network management can lead to:

– Deterioration and disruption of network services.
– Poor utilization of investment made in the network, and loss of
business.

• The are a number of issues that need to be considered to avoid this.

– E.g. Separation of user traffic and management traffic (out of band) or
combining the two (in band)

• Network Management is hence the key to getting the most value

out of a network and can be absolutely business critical.
 What is Networks Management?

• Network Management can be formally defined as all the activities,

methods, procedures and tools that deal with operations,
administration,maintenance, and provisioning [OAMP] of network
infrastructure and services.
– The Operations group is concerned with all the daily activities to keep the
network and services up and smoothly running.
– The Network Administration is concerned with establishing and administering
the overall network management goals, policies, and procedures to keep the
network under control.
– The Installation and Maintenance (I&M) group handles functions that include
installation, repairs and upgrading of network facilities and equipment; involves
corrective & preventive measures for network failures.
– Provisioning involves network planning and configuration of resources to
support variety of network applications and services, which is traditionally
handled in by the Engineering Department.
 Roles of a Network Manager

• Determines network configurations, systems compatibility, equipment

needs and requirements, installation sequences and procedures, sets
priorities for configuration changes; devises plans and directs major
network installation projects.
• Directs subordinates to monitor network performance, reviews reports
on network status, presents performance statistics at various
management meetings and serves as a member of a committee to
review capacity planning.
• Anticipates future network needs and scalability; provides for disaster
recovery by developing contingency plans; serves as a technical advisor
for future network plans.
• Diagnoses unusual or difficult network problems; assigns staff members
to troubleshoot and diagnose network failures, determines best the
approaches for network service restoration.
 Roles of a Network Manager

• Recommends the acquisition of software and hardware to provide

and support network management; prepares cost comparisons of
equipment lines and software to be purchased.
• Stays abreast of the cutting-edge technological changes and recent
developments in network management tools, protocols and
operational procedures.
• Formulates recommendations to improve network efficiency and
capacity; provides the methods and techniques used in protecting
systems security and maintaining network control.
• Communicates networking concepts to technical and non technical
personnel; establish effective working relationships with associates,
departmental and administrative officials, management tools and
equipment suppliers.
 The Goal of Networks Management

• To ensure that the users of a network receive the IT services with the
quality of service (QoS) that they expect.
• Now, toward meeting this goal, the management should establish a policy
to either formally or informally contract a service level agreement (SLA)
with users.
• It is also important to note that a network manager should also have an
SLA with other parties that contribute to the network services availability
and quality. e.g. ISP
• Network Management also aims to maximize network efficiency,
productivity and transparency to users; i.e. to effectively and efficiently
keep network up and running:
– Reduce network downtime.
– Maintain network performance to satisfactory level.
– Reduce the cost of ownership, administration and maintenance.
Stakeholders in Networks Management
 Increasing network management complexity

• During network deployment, at the center of attention initially is usually the

network itself and the services that it provides, not how to run it; management is
little more than an afterthought
• As the complexity of the network increases, it becomes hard to keep up with the
proliferation of network devices and services; hence the relevance of effective
network management
• Different types of additional devices are introduced, different versions of the
same type of equipment and technology developments start to outpace
management.
• At the same time, more users get connected to the network and use an ever
greater variety of communication services and network applications
• Eventually, things start to break; even worse, initially not realized until network
users start to complain, while competitors seem to have a better handle on their
network; it becomes clear therefore that network management is much more
than an afterthought.
Networks Complexity
Complexity – technical challenges (concurrency)
Complexity – technical challenges (scoping)
 Is interoperability in network management
needed?

• No: Networks may be managed fine in piecemeal fashion

• No: Total management solution can be purchased from one vendor

with one consistent architecture and set of products

• Yes: Network components from many sources:

– Computer hardware
– Operating systems, DBMS
– Application software
– Communications equipment
– Communications services
• Yes: Network and systems are becoming strategic component of
most
The need for Management standards
The need for Management standards
The need for Management standards
Management applications
 Other Challenges

• Organizational
– Larger networks might incorporate a much larger variety of different
types of equipment and network technologies, making it a lot more
difficult to find the combined expertise to deal with running a network all
in a single person:
• Functional division of tasks
• Geographical distribution
• Business
– Placing a Value on Network Management: Network management
costs money, and the amount of investment in network management
must be justified as a business decision by expected cost savings or
increased revenues.
• Outsourcing vs in-house
• Network used to generate money?
Network Management Components
 Infrastructure for Networks Management

• Network Management traffic can be carried “in band” within the

production network or “out of band” with a network that is
specifically dedicated to management.
• Carrying management traffic out of band can quickly result in
building a fairly sophisticated network that is dedicated just to
network management. Note: This could be physical or virtual.
• Which option makes the most sense? The answer is, it depends.
Like so much in engineering - it is all about trade-offs.
• For “in band”, management traffic to and from a port is carried
through the same network that carries the rest of the traffic.
Dedicated vs Shared
 Dedicated management net. - Advantages

• Reliability: With dedicated management network,management traffic

is carried independent of traffic over the production network, making
management significantly more reliable.
• Interference Avoidance: Management traffic does not compete with
other networking traffic, which would otherwise cause Interference
between management and production network traffic that can make
certain problems harder to diagnose.
• Ease of Network Planning: Network planning for the production
network becomes easier if there is no need to consider management
traffic, as is the case when a dedicated management network is used.
• Security: A dedicated management network is harder to attack and
easier to secure, as the end-users will never come into contact with;
making it less prone to hackers and less vulnerable.
 Network Management Life-cycle

• The following figure provides a basic view of different stages in

network management life cycle.
• In addition, a more sophisticated cycle includes more phases such
as maintenance cycles and network upgrades.
• In general, the cycle applies regardless of whether management
involves networks, networked systems, or applications.
Network Management: Functional
 References and Acknowledgements

[1] Alexander Clemm, Ph.D., Network Management Fundamentals,

Copyright 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc.

[2] Chabalala S.C., National University of Lesotho, Mathematics &

Computer Science, 2012

[3] Raouf Boutaba, School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo