Network Management: Concepts and Practice, a Hands-On Approach

A NEW APPROACH

Network Management: Concepts and Practice. A Hands-on Approach uses Network Management System (NMS) software to demonstrate each network management concept described. Thus, it shows the student how to practice network management. In addition to the demonstrations illustrated in the book, we arranged to include the NMS used for the demonstrations with the book. Therefore, students will be able to practice network management techniques at any time.

NETWORK MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS IMPLEMENTED

This book concentrates on the implementation of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) because of its pervasive use in the enterprise. Most of this use is provided by SNMPvl. In addition, we give a complete description of SNMPv3 and demonstrate its use. SNMPv3 is now an Internet Standard that provides "industrial strength" authentication and encryption. The student is also introduced to the use of the Desktop Management protocol and Web-based Management.

SUMMARY OF FEATURES

• Uses an NMS that focuses on the fundamentals of network management
• Describes the responsibilities of a network manager
• Provides step-by-step configuration of desktop and network devices
• Provides comprehensive descriptions of RMONl and RMON2 MIBs and uses them to display and analyze network traffic
• Provides tables which organize the details of fretwork implementation and management strategies
• Provides tables that divide the broad range of network management concepts into manageable descriptions
• Demonstrates how to access, compile and use device-specific enterprise MIBs
• Provides a summary of commercial NMSs categorized by capability and cost
• Includes over 300 figures that demonstrate network management details.
• Includes Review Questions and Exercises at the end of each chapter

CONTENT OVERVIEW

Readers of this book should have had a course in networking fundamentals or experience in that area. However, for those needing some review, we have included Chapter 1 that provides an overview of networking components. In addition, Chapters 2 and 3 introduce the reader to network management vocabulary and the basic principles of network management.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of networking concepts, shows photographs of the devices that will be used on the demonstration network, and explains the functions of the devices.

Chapters 2 and 3 describe what network management is all about. Chapter 2 discusses the responsibilities of a network manager, defines network management vocabulary, provides an example of how remote network management is done and documents the history of network management development. Chapter 3 discusses network implementation and network management strategies and gives tables of issues that should be considered for each. Also described are the ISO Network Management Categories and examples of each are given. In addition, the chapter summarizes the capabilities and costs of current network management systems (NMS). Finally, different network management strategies are examined and one selected for this book.

Chapters 4 and 5 provide step-by-step configuration of demonstration network components. Chapter 4 configures desktop components and Chapter 5 configures network components such as hubs, switches, routers, and probes.

Chapter 6 examines details of the SNMPv1 protocol, the structure of the MIB tree, explains SNMPv1 commands and arguments, uses a command line utility to execute SNMPv1 commands, introduces the Meterware/Analyzer NMS, and captures and analyzes SNMPv1 frames.

Chapter 7 explains the Structure of Management Information (SMIv1), the ASN.1 definitions of MIB objects and how to create them, and implements enterprise objects.

Chapters 8 and 9 examine RMONl and RMON2 MIB objects and how to use an NMS and a probe to capture and analyze objects that measure network traffic statistics. RMON2 objects provide traffic statistics for protocols up to the Application Layer.

Chapters 10 and 11 describe other important network management protocols. Chapter 10 discusses the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) standard, demonstrates how it is used to access desktop attributes, and how the desktop attribute format can be mapped to the MIB format for remote access by an NMS that uses SNMPv1. Chapter 11 discusses Web-based management and demonstrates the use of a web browser to access object values from an embedded SNMPv1 web server on a Cisco switch.

Chapter 12 demonstrates configuration and use of SNMPv3, the new IETF Standard for authentication and encryption of SNMP messages. David Spakes of SNMP Research International co-authors this chapter. The history of the transition from SNMPv1 to SNMPv2 to SNMPv3 is reviewed, operational enhancements in SNMPv2 are explained and authentication of users and encryption of messages for a SNMPv3 agent are demonstrated using a SNMPv3 command line interface. In addition, the chapter uses a GUI Wizard, in development at SNMP Research, to configure authentication for a SNMPv3 agent, demonstrates the SNMPv3 Enterpol NMS in development at SNMP Research and shows how to use the Enterpol application, Simple Policy Pro, to distribute configurations throughout the enterprise.

Six Appendices are included that support chapter material, provide advanced material, and provide an essential reference for the student. Appendix A reviews IF addressing and subnetting. Appendix B supports Chapter 7 by providing additional material on Abstract Syntax Notation 1 (ASN.1). Appendix C is rfc 1213 which is a description of each of the objects in MIB-II. Appendix D explains the Basic Encoding Rules used to create packets sent over the "wire." Appendix E describes other approaches to information management that are in use today and Appendix F demonstrates other useful tools on the CD-ROM.