ch11.htm

this describes managing multivendor networks

formed an alliance to implement a common agent technology, which facilitates collection
of network management information from hardware and software components from multiple
vendors. The common agent technology consolidates and synthesizes this information,
using existing management protocols including both SNMP and DMI. Common agent technology
permits DMI-enabled network components to be managed in an integrated fashion, and
provides existing management consoles with immediate access to DMI information. The
common agent technology is actually an SNMP implementation that supports integrated
management of DMI-compliant components and SNMP subagents. It is also capable of
converting DMI data into SNMP format. Consequently, network managers can support
both SNMP and DMI resources.
<H2><A NAME="Heading6"></A><FONT COLOR="#000077">Network Management Products</FONT></H2>
<P>Network management products operate on at least two levels. At the lower level,
a network management protocol must be in place to ferret out problems in the network.
These problems are then presented to the upper level, which collects and correlates
the information so it is understandable by humans (or application programs written
by humans). Generally speaking, the functions provided by network management products
include:

<UL>
	<LI><I>Network status.</I> Network management products enable the current state of
	the network to be monitored. This includes showing which devices are online and which
	are not, as well as the following information:<BR>
	<BR>
	
	<UL>
		<LI><I>Error reporting.</I> If information is being corrupted in the network or devices
		are not performing properly, these events will (or should) be reported with the status
		information. Often, you can use this information to solve problems before they become
		more serious.<BR>
		<BR>
		
		<LI><I>Performance.</I> In the context of network management, performance normally
		refers to line use. By showing the amount (percent) of usage on a line-by-line (or
		controller-by-controller) basis, performance information enables you to review the
		effectiveness of the network layout.<BR>
		<BR>
		
	</UL>
	<LI><I>Hard fault alarms.</I> One of the primary purposes of network management products
	is to provide an immediate alert in the event of a serious failure in the network.
	To accomplish this, the product must detect and isolate the failure.<BR>
	<BR>
	
	<LI><I>Network modifications.</I> Network management products provided by a vendor
	for use on a specific type of computer often integrate the procedures for implementing
	changes in the network under the large umbrella of network management. The theory
	is that modifications to the network are important and directly affect the state
	of the network, so the change procedures should be part of the network management
	product. However, if the product is from a third party or is intended for use on
	many different computer systems, this level of functionality will probably be absent.
</UL>

<P>In terms of the OSI Reference Model, network management functions are defined
by the Common Management Information Service (CMIS) and Common Management Information
Protocol (CMIP) standards. CMIS and CMIP were developed by the ISO as part of the
application-layer Network Management standards. In the context of network management
products, CMIP performs the lower-layer data collections functions and reports its
finding to CMIS.</P>
<P>Network management is one area where the demand has exceeded ISO's ability to
define stan-dards. Witness the increasing popularity of <I>Simple Network Management
Protocol (SNMP)</I>. The SNMP definition facilitates the reporting and collection
of network errors. Originally targeted to bring network management tools to the TCP/IP
environment, SNMP provides functions similar to those in CMIP.</P>
<P>As a result of the decline in popularity of the OSI Reference Model (following
its de-emphasis by the U.S. government), the popularity of SNMP has increased in
the eyes of most ven- dors. From the manufacturer's perspective, SNMP represents
a relatively simple network management tool. Implementing SNMP involves having computers
and intelligent network devices report errors to SNMP and designating one or more
computers to receive the report of the errors collected from SNMP. Therefore, in
a multivendor network where some (or all) of the computers report to SNMP, a single
SNMP monitor station can track the network operations of several computer types.
End users appreciate that SNMP can be used in a multivendor environment.</P>
<P>There are many vendors in the world of network management, with each offering
its own sophisticated network management architecture. Note, however, that the architectures
are not mutually exclusive, and there are some advantages to running all three architectures
together. While the low end of the market is quite open and includes numerous products
such as ManageWise, a joint venture of Novell and Intel, the high end of the market
is largely dominated by HP, IBM, Cabletron Systems, and Sun Microsystems. The various
company approaches are explored in the following sections.
<H3><A NAME="Heading7"></A><FONT COLOR="#000077">IBM SystemView/NetView</FONT></H3>
<P><I>NetView</I> is the network management element of IBM's systems management software,
SystemView. IBM has improved performance over older offerings by enabling CPU-intensive
GUI processes to be offloaded to client workstations.</P>
<P>In 1990, IBM's SystemView Series was never widely accepted, largely because it
depended on the OSI CMIP protocol at a time when SNMP was beginning to be more widely
used. Current versions of SystemView are unrecognizable when compared to the 1990
CMIP versions. IBM has now embraced SNMP as the de facto management standard of the
day, and has even embraced object technology in an attempt to make systems and network
management a little easier. While the earlier versions focused mainly on the mainframe
and SNA architecture, SystemView today is offered on four platforms: MVS, OS/400,
AIX, and OS/2. SystemView consolidates many systems and network management applications
into a single product; previously, IBM customers had to purchase management applications
separately.</P>
<P>In releasing the SystemView Series, IBM has acknowledged the growing trend toward
multi-vendor, client/server systems, and has given the product the ability to manage
resources from many different vendors. SystemView provides utilities for change and
configuration management, scheduling, workload balancing, storage and print management,
software distribution, systems administration, and many additional functions. Additionally,
its point-and-click interface and use of a process-oriented model marks a move towards
simplified and more integrated management.</P>
<P><B>Features of SystemView</B>&#160;&#160;All four implementations of SystemView
support all of the systems management functions defined by the SystemView architecture,
which include business management, change management, configuration management, operations
management (includ-ing network management), performance management, and problem management.
Features include:

<UL>
	<LI><I>Client Support.</I> SystemView is able to manage clients including IBM OS/2,
	HP-UX, Macintosh, NetWare, SCO UNIX, Sun Solaris, SunOS, Windows NT, and Windows
	3.x.<BR>
	<BR>
	
	<LI><I>Storage Management.</I> SystemView's Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM)
	facility, part of the ADSTAR Distributed Storage Manager (ADSM) feature, automates
	the process of moving infrequently used files to lower-cost storage media. HSM retains
	files that are more frequently accessed on local file systems, which results in a
	faster response time. With the HSM system, users access all files, regardless of
	location, as if they were local.<BR>
	<BR>
	
	<LI><I>Data Management.</I> The DataHub for UNIX Operating Systems data management
	facility permits the administrator to manage multiple databases from a single control
	point, and without having to know the different SQL syntaxes of the different databases.<BR>
	<BR>
	
	<LI><I>Change Management.</I> Increasingly, mobile workers can cause the network
	manager more than a few headaches. Change management is not a simple task, although
	SystemView's Software Distribution for AIX facility offers significantly more automation
	than previously available for this task.<BR>
	<BR>
	
	<LI><I>Performance Monitoring.</I> The Performance Reporter facility tracks system
	resources, such as disk utilization, and checks them against pre-set parameters.<BR>
	<BR>
	
	<LI><I>Remote Monitoring.</I> The Nways Campus Manager Remote Monitor provides real-time
	performance monitoring across a multivendor network.
</UL>

<P><B>SystemView for MVS&#160;&#160;</B>SystemView for MVS, running on a System/390
MVS platform, permits the management of a distributed enterprise from a single control
point. SystemView for MVS is able to manage MVS, VM and VSE hosts, SNA and IP resources,
AIX and OS/400 systems, NetWare and other LANs, and several other network resources.
It combines more than 36 systems and network management applications, providing access
from a single, graphical window.</P>
<P><B>SystemView for OS/400</B>&#160;&#160;SystemView for OS/400 is a modular solution,
also controllable from a single point. Its Automation Center/400 application automates
the runbook, enabling the administrator to define important system conditions and
define actions to take automatically should those conditions occur. For managing
and analyzing performance data, the Performance Tools/400 application is included.
The System Manager/400 application is used to centrally manage distribution, operations,
software, and problems from a single AS/400 system.</P>
<P><B>SystemView for OS/2</B>&#160;&#160;The newest addition to the SystemView family,
SystemView for OS/2 is best used in small to medium-sized networks. It is based on
IBM's NetFinity product, and integrates NetFinity's features for hardware management,
inventory, file transfer, and more. Some of the features included in SystemView for
OS/2 include real-time monitoring, software process monitoring, performance monitoring
metrics, and a software inventory dictionary for automatically finding already-installed
applications. Also featured is support for DB2/2 and Lotus Notes, which can be used
to store and reuse configuration and performance data.</P>
<P><B>SystemView for AIX</B>&#160;&#160;SystemView for AIX can manage an enterprisewide,
heterogeneous environment of multi-vendor devices and operating systems. Like the
other SystemView products, it manages the network from a single console. However,
the administrator can choose to share management functions and distribute some processes
from the server to client workstations. Operational tools include: the LAN Management
Utilities, for managing and monitoring IP, IPX, and NetBIOS devices; LAN Network
Manager for AIX, for viewing status information about the LAN; LoadLeveler, for job
management and balancing; and NetView for AIX, for managing multivendor TCP/IP networks.</P>
<P>NetView for AIX, the network management element of SystemView for AIX, supports
up to 30 operators who can share access to management functions. System access is
controlled through the distributed security features, and a sequential logon function
is included for seamless transfer of control from one operator to the next.</P>
<P>IBM's SystemView Advance Team program might ultimately result in even more integration
and features. This program invites third-party vendors to integrate their products
into the SystemView framework. The plan makes alliances with vendors offering network
and systems management products that support SystemView platforms. Members of this
team include Bay Networks, Boole and Babbage Inc. (San Jose, California), and Cisco
Systems Inc. (San Jose, California).


<BLOCKQUOTE>
	<P>
<HR>
<FONT COLOR="#000077"><B>IBM and Tivoli</B></FONT><BR>
	IBM has entered into an arrangement to acquire Tivoli Systems, a provider of systems
	management software. The deal will bring Tivoli's innovative management technology
	into IBM's family of systems management products, and will ultimately provide for
	an even more comprehensive solution. 
<HR>


</BLOCKQUOTE>