The Network Management Problems Tajudin Hassen

Over View Linking together of Network Management with continuing growth in traffic types and Volumes presents main problem. Linking together of Network Management with continuing growth in traffic types and Volumes presents main problem. The Growth adds Multiple NMS which increases operational expense The Growth adds Multiple NMS which increases operational expense Growth of associated Management overhead. Growth of associated Management overhead. Strong need to reduce the cost of ownership and improve the return on investment (ROI). Strong need to reduce the cost of ownership and improve the return on investment (ROI). Requirement of Automated flow-through actions Requirement of Automated flow-through actions

Requirement of Automated flow- through actions FCAPS areas included in the requirement FCAPS areas included in the requirement Provisioning Provisioning Detecting faults Detecting faults Checking and verifying performance Checking and verifying performance Billing/accounting Billing/accounting Initiating repairs or network upgrades Initiating repairs or network upgrades Maintaining the network Inventory Maintaining the network Inventory

Contents Contents Bringing the Managed Data to the Code Scalability The Shortage of Development Skills for Creating management systems The Shortage of Operational Skills for running Networks

Bringing the Managed Data to the Code Managed objects reside on many SNMP agent hosts Managed objects reside on many SNMP agent hosts Copies of managed objects reside on SNMP management systems Copies of managed objects reside on SNMP management systems Changes in agent data may have to be regularly reconciled with the management system copy Changes in agent data may have to be regularly reconciled with the management system copy The quality of an NMS is inversely proportional to the gap between its picture of the network and the actual state of the underlying network-the smaller the gap, the better the NMS The quality of an NMS is inversely proportional to the gap between its picture of the network and the actual state of the underlying network-the smaller the gap, the better the NMS As managed NEs become more complex. An extra burden is placed on the management system. As managed NEs become more complex. An extra burden is placed on the management system.

SCALABILITY Today’s Network is Tomorrow’s NE Today’s Network is Tomorrow’s NE Layer 2 VPN Scalability Layer 2 VPN Scalability Virtual Circuit Status Monitoring Virtual Circuit Status Monitoring MIB Scalability MIB Scalability Other Enterprise Network Scalability Issues Other Enterprise Network Scalability Issues Large Reading Trials Large Reading Trials Large NEs Large NEs

Today’s Network is Tomorrow’s NE A scalability problem occurs when an increase in the number of instances of a given managed object in the network necessitates a compensating, proportional resource increase inside the management system. A scalability problem occurs when an increase in the number of instances of a given managed object in the network necessitates a compensating, proportional resource increase inside the management system.

Corporate Data Enterprise Management Systems  IT Service level Management (Helpdesk solution, SLAs)  Enterprise Network, Applications and Systems management  Fault, Performance, Availability, Capacity Planning, and Bandwidth Management  Software deployment Management, inventory, metering, distribution, remote desktop control, application healing, and centralised controls e.t.c

Layer 2 VPN Scalability A full mesh provides the necessary connectivity for the VPN. Generally referred to as the N squre problem. A full mesh provides the necessary connectivity for the VPN. Generally referred to as the N squre problem. When the number of sites become very large, virtual circuits required tends to become unmanagable. When the number of sites become very large, virtual circuits required tends to become unmanagable.

Virtual Circuit Status Monitoring NMS attempts to read all table entries NMS attempts to read all table entries MIB table entries becomes very large MIB table entries becomes very large

MIB Scalability Network operators and their users increasingly demand Network operators and their users increasingly demand more bandwidth, more bandwidth, faster networks faster networks and bigger devices. and bigger devices.

Other Enterprise Network Scalability Issues Scalability also affects the Enterprise Scalability also affects the Enterprise Storage solutions Storage solutions Administration of firewalls Administration of firewalls Routers, such as access control lists and static routes Routers, such as access control lists and static routes Security management Security management Application management Application management Large NEs Large NEs

Expensive and Scares Development Skill Sets A Solutions Mindset A Solutions Mindset Distributed, Creative Problem Solving Distributed, Creative Problem Solving Taking Ownership Taking Ownership Acquiring Domain Expertise Acquiring Domain Expertise

A Solutions Mindset Reflects the move away from the purely technological aspect of products to embrace the way enterprises and service providers look at overall solutions to business problems. Reflects the move away from the purely technological aspect of products to embrace the way enterprises and service providers look at overall solutions to business problems. FCAPS Software layers FCAPS Software layers

Distributed, Creative Problem Solving Software bugs Software bugs NE bugs NE bugs Performance bottlenecks Performance bottlenecks Client applications crashing intermittently Client applications crashing intermittently MIB table corruption MIB table corruption SNMP agent exception SNMP agent exception

Taking Ownership All NMS software developers should strive to extend their portfolio of skills. All NMS software developers should strive to extend their portfolio of skills. Institutional memory relates to individual developers with key knowledge of product infrastructure Institutional memory relates to individual developers with key knowledge of product infrastructure

Acquiring Domain Expertise Domain expertise represents a range of detailed knowledge Domain expertise represents a range of detailed knowledge Knowledge might include Knowledge might include Layer 2 and layer 3 traffic engineering Layer 2 and layer 3 traffic engineering Layer 2 and layer 3 QoS Layer 2 and layer 3 QoS Network Management Network Management Convergence of legacy technologies into IP Convergence of legacy technologies into IP Backward and forward compatability Backward and forward compatability

Linked Overviews An ATM Linked Overview An ATM Linked Overview An IP Linked Overview An IP Linked Overview Short Development Cycles Short Development Cycles Minimizing Code Changes Minimizing Code Changes

Elements of NMS Development NMS Development NMS Development Data Analysis Data Analysis Upgrade Consideration Upgrade Consideration UML, Java, and Object-Oriented Development UML, Java, and Object-Oriented Development Class Design for Major NMS Features Class Design for Major NMS Features GUI Development GUI Development Middleware Using CORBA-Based Products Middleware Using CORBA-Based Products Insulating Applications from Low-Level Code Insulating Applications from Low-Level Code

Expensive and Scarce operational Skills The growing complexity of networks is pointing to increasingly scarce operational skills. The growing complexity of networks is pointing to increasingly scarce operational skills. Multiservice Switches Multiservice Switches

MPLS: Second Chunk Explicit Route Objects Explicit Route Objects Resource Blocks Resource Blocks Tunnels and LSPs Tunnels and LSPs In-segments and Out-segments In-segments and Out-segments Cross-Connects Cross-Connects Routing Protocols Routing Protocols Signaling Protocols Signaling Protocols Label Operations Label Operations MPLS Encapsulation MPLS Encapsulation QoS and Traffic Engineering QoS and Traffic Engineering QoS QoS

PROBLEMS POSED BY ENTERPRISE NETWORKING CONNECTIVITY CONNECTIVITY LOSS OF MANAGEMENT CONTROL LOSS OF MANAGEMENT CONTROL ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE REQUIREMENTS ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE REQUIREMENTS HIDDEN COSTS OF CLIENT/SERVER COMPUTING HIDDEN COSTS OF CLIENT/SERVER COMPUTING RELIABILITY & SECURITY RELIABILITY & SECURITY*

COSTS OF CLIENT/SERVER SYSTEMS OPERATIONS & SUPPORT OPERATIONS & SUPPORT APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE EDUCATION & TRAINING EDUCATION & TRAINING*

HARDWARE; SOFTWARE; TELECOMMUNICATIONS, DATA RESOURCES HARDWARE; SOFTWARE; TELECOMMUNICATIONS, DATA RESOURCES MORE COMPUTING POWER ON THE DESKTOP MORE COMPUTING POWER ON THE DESKTOP NETWORK LINKING SMALLER NETWORKS NETWORK LINKING SMALLER NETWORKS* ENTERPRISE NETWORK

HARDWARE; SOFTWARE; TELECOMMUNICATIONS, DATA RESOURCES HARDWARE; SOFTWARE; TELECOMMUNICATIONS, DATA RESOURCES MORE COMPUTING POWER ON THE DESKTOP MORE COMPUTING POWER ON THE DESKTOP NETWORK LINKING SMALLER NETWORKS NETWORK LINKING SMALLER NETWORKS* ENTERPRISE NETWORK

MPLS: Second Chunk Explicit Route Objects Explicit Route Objects Resource Blocks Resource Blocks Tunnels and LSPs Tunnels and LSPs In-segments and Out-segments In-segments and Out-segments Cross-Connects Cross-Connects Routing Protocols Routing Protocols

Explicit Route Objects ERO is a list of layer 3 address hops inside an MPLS cloud ERO is a list of layer 3 address hops inside an MPLS cloud Describes a list of MPLS nodes through which a tunnel passes Describes a list of MPLS nodes through which a tunnel passes EROs are used by signaling protocols (such as RSVP-TE) to create tunnels EROs are used by signaling protocols (such as RSVP-TE) to create tunnels

Resource Blocks Components of resource block include Components of resource block include Maximum reserved bandwidth Maximum reserved bandwidth Maximum traffic burst size Maximum traffic burst size Packet length Packet length

Tunnels and LSPs MPLS-encapsulated packets enter the tunnel exhibits 3 important characters MPLS-encapsulated packets enter the tunnel exhibits 3 important characters Forwarding is based on MPLS label rather than ip header Forwarding is based on MPLS label rather than ip header Resource usage is fixed, based on those reserved Resource usage is fixed, based on those reserved Path taken by the traffic is constrained by the path chosen Path taken by the traffic is constrained by the path chosen

Cross-Connects Point-to-Point Point-to-Point Point-to-multipoint Point-to-multipoint Multipoint-to-point Multipoint-to-point

Routing Protocols MPLS incorporates standard IP routing protocols such as OSPF, IS-IS and BGP4 MPLS incorporates standard IP routing protocols such as OSPF, IS-IS and BGP4

Router Segments LANs into distinct networks and subnetworks; e.g. the distinct red, green and blue LANs with distinct network numbers. Segments LANs into distinct networks and subnetworks; e.g. the distinct red, green and blue LANs with distinct network numbers. Segments LANs into broadcast domains Segments LANs into broadcast domains

Signaling Protocols Signaled connections have Signaled connections have Resources reserved Resources reserved Labels distributed Labels distributed Paths selected by protocols such as RSVP_TE or LDP Paths selected by protocols such as RSVP_TE or LDP

Label Operations MPLS-labeled traffic forwarded based on its encapsulation label value MPLS-labeled traffic forwarded based on its encapsulation label value Current MPLS node uses Label2 encaps Current MPLS node uses Label2 encaps Operations executed against labels are Operations executed against labels are Lookup Lookup SWAP SWAP POP POP PUSH PUSH

MPLS Encapsulation The MPLS encapsulation specifies four reserved label values The MPLS encapsulation specifies four reserved label values 0-IPV4 explicit null that signals the receiving node 1-Router alert that indicates to the receiving node 2-IPV6 explicit null 3-Implicit null that signals the receiving node

QoS and Traffic Engineering Providing specific chunks of bandwidth (via MPLS LSPs) to the developers. Providing specific chunks of bandwidth (via MPLS LSPs) to the developers. Traffic engineering is set to become a mandatory element of converged layer 3 enterprise networks. Traffic engineering is set to become a mandatory element of converged layer 3 enterprise networks.

QoS Rating traffic as being equally important Rating traffic as being equally important Rating VOIP traffic as being the most important Rating VOIP traffic as being the most important Three approaches for network services Three approaches for network services Best effort Best effort Fine granularity QoS (IntServ) Fine granularity QoS (IntServ) Coarse granularity QoS (DiffServ) Coarse granularity QoS (DiffServ)

MPLS and Scalability A network containing possibly tens or hundreds of thousands of MPLS nodes. A network containing possibly tens or hundreds of thousands of MPLS nodes. It is not practical to try to read or write an object of this size using SNMP. It is not practical to try to read or write an object of this size using SNMP. Tunnel-change table Tunnel-change table Tunnel table Tunnel table

Summary Summary Bringing managed data and code together is one of the central foundation of computing and network management Bringing managed data and code together is one of the central foundation of computing and network management Achieving union of data and code in a scalable fashion is a problem that gets more difficult as networks grow. Achieving union of data and code in a scalable fashion is a problem that gets more difficult as networks grow.