Network Management (BIT8322)
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Nadia IRADUKUNDA
E-mail: iradukundanadia1@gmail.com
niradukunda@mkurwanda.ac.rw
Kigali, Rwanda
Computer Network
v A computer network: is a collection of computers and other devices (nodes) that use
a common network protocol to share resources with each other over a network
medium.
v Network management: is the process of controlling a complex data network to
maximize its efficiency and productivity.
v The overall goal of network management is to help with the complexity of a data
network and to ensure that data can go across it with maximum efficiency,
effectiveness and transparency to the users.
v The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Network Management
Forum divided network management into five functional areas:
n Fault Management
n Configuration Management
n Security Management
n Performance Management
n Accounting Management
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Functional Areas of Network
Management
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Functional areas of Network management
1. Fault management:
n Is the process of locating problems, or faults, on the data network.
n It involves the following steps: discover the problem, isolate the problem, fix the
problem (if possible).
2. Configuration management:
n The configuration of certain network devices controls the behavior of the data
network.
n Configuration management is the process of finding and setting up (configuring)
these critical devices.
3. Security management:
n Is the process of controlling access to information on the data network.
n Provides a way to monitor access points and records information on a periodic
basis.
n Provides audit trails and sounds alarms for security breaches.
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Functional areas of Network management
4. Performance management:
n Involves measuring the performance of the network hardware, software, and
media.
n Examples of measured activities are: Overall throughput, Percentage
utilization, Error rates, Response time.
5. Accounting management:
n Involves tracking individual’s ACCOUNTS utilization and grouping of
network resources to ensure that users have sufficient resources.
n Involves granting or removing permission for access to the Network
management system.
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A network management system (NMS)
v Is a set of hardware and/or software tools that allow an IT professional to
supervise the individual components of a network within a larger network
management framework.
v Network management system components assist with:
n Network device discovery - identifying what devices are present on a network.
n Network device monitoring - monitoring at the device level to determine the health of network
components and the extent to which their performance matches capacity plans and intra-
enterprise service-level agreements (SLAs).
n Network performance analysis - tracking performance indicators such as bandwidth utilization,
packet loss, latency, availability and uptime of routers, switches and other Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) -enabled devices.
n Intelligent notifications - configurable alerts that will respond to specific network scenarios by
paging, emailing, calling or texting a network administrator
vExamples of Network management systems : Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP), Paessler Router Traffic Grapher (PRTG)
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Examples of Network management systems
1. SNMPc Commercial, Windows based Network Management solution. This is the
right choice for people looking for a proven, powerful, yet easy to use based
management software, but don´t want to bother with the complexity of NetView or
Tivoly and don´t want to build a linux based system.
2. Paessler Router Traffic Grapher (PRTG) Monitor Commercial Windows based
commercial network management system that offers web and windows.
n It is installed in minutes and does not depend on external web- or SQL-servers.
n It has an agent-less design that lets you use numerous sensors to collect system data.
n Devices are shown in a tree-like fashion. Visual display and graphing is excellent
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Network Development Life Cycle (NDLC)
v The NDLC is a model that summarizes the network design process, from initial
problem/needs assessment to implementation.
1. Analyze requirements
v A network cannot very well provide effective solutions to problems that have not
been clearly defined in objective terms.
v To attempt to implement networks before
everyone agrees to (buy- in) the exact nature
of the problem to be solved is somewhat akin
to hitting a moving target.
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1. ANALYSIS
v Analysis: make a detailed examination of the elements or structure needed for the
network.
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2. DESIGN
v Analysis: a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of
a network
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3. SIMULATION PROTOTYPING
v Simulation Prototype: Simulate a network blueprint to show how the network will
operate before implementation.
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4. IMPLEMENTATION
v Implementation: Once the simulation prototyping is successful, the network set up
is physically executed.
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5. MONITORING
v MONITORING: process of keeping an eye or track of the network in operation.
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6. MANAGEMENT
v MANAGEMENT: the process of dealing with or maintain the network to perform
well.
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Network Planning Process
1. Gathering Requirements : unique needs for which they would
require a network.
2. Develop the logical design : make a simulation for the expected
network.
3. Selecting topology : Star, hybrid, Ring, etc.
4. Conducting Site Survey: understand the nature of the area where to
implement a network.
5. Capacity Planning : determine the amount of network bandwidth
necessary to support the smooth running of the network
6. Creating a Baseline: measurement and recording of a network’s state
of operation over a given period of time
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Network Planning
1. Gathering Requirements
n Every organization has unique needs for which they would require a network.
n There are several factors to consider when gathering requirements:
1. Identify the nature and volume of data and how it is used within and outside
the organization.
2. Determine how the network will be used
3. Location of data with respect to users is also critical here.
4. Decide the types of devices for interconnecting computers and sites
5. The type and usage level of network resources dictates how many servers
you need.
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Network Development Life Cycle (NDLC)
2. Develop the logical design
n An IP network has two very important resources, its IP addresses and the corresponding
naming structure within the network.
n To provide effective communication between hosts or stations in a network, each station must
maintain a unique identity.
n In an IP network this is achieved by the IP address.
n The distribution and management of these addresses is an important consideration in an IP
network design.
n IP addresses are inherently not easy to remember. People find it much easier to remember
names and have these names related to individual machines connected to a network.
n Even applications rarely refer to hosts by their binary identifiers, in general they use ASCII
strings such as polo@mku.ke.
n These names must be translated to IP addresses because the network does not utilize identifiers
based on ASCII strings.
n The management of these names and the translation mechanism used must also be
considered by the IP network designer.
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Network Planning (Con’t)
3. Selecting topology
n Most new network designs come down to only one choice: How fast should the
network be?
n This will be guided by the needs identified earlier, in particular the location of
sites, volume of data and nature of existing equipment and consideration for
future expansion.
v In most cases the physical topology will almost certainly be a star, and the logical
topology is almost always switching.
v Ethernet switches are typically used on a LAN, but you might consider other logical
topologies for reasons such as:
n Use of legacy equipment – such as token ring
n Network size – using hub-based bus topology
n Cost restrictions – using hub instead of switch
n Difficulty to run cables – consider wireless…
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Network Planning (Con’t)
4. Conducting Site Survey
n The purpose of a site survey is to understand the nature of the
business premises in terms of how the building, office space and
electrical wiring are set up.
n It helps answer whether or not the type of network requested can
be supported by the organization of the building.
n It also helps estimate how much material will be required to layout
the network.
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Network Planning (Con’t)
5. Capacity Planning
n Capacity planning involves trying to determine the amount of
network bandwidth necessary to support an application or a set of
applications.
n A number of techniques exist for performing capacity planning,
including linear projection, computer simulation, benchmarking, and
analytical modeling.
n Linear projection involves predicting one or more network capacities
based on the current network parameters and multiplying by some
constant.
vA computer simulation involves modeling an existing system or
proposed system using a computer-based simulation tool.
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Network Planning (Con’t)
6. Creating a Baseline
n Involves the measurement and recording of a network’s state of
operation over a given period of time.
n A baseline can be used to determine current network performance
and to help determine future network needs.
n Baseline studies should be ongoing projects, and not something
started and stopped every so many years.
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Network Planning (Con’t)
To perform a baseline study, you should:
v Collect information on number and type of system nodes, including
workstations, routers, bridges, switches, hubs, and servers.
v Create an up-to-date roadmap of all nodes along with model numbers, serial
numbers and any address information such as IP or Ethernet addresses.
v Collect information on operational protocols used throughout the system.
v List all network applications, including the number, type and utilization level.
v Create a fairly extensive list of statistics to help meet your goals.
v These statistics can include average network utilization, peak network utilization,
average frame size, peak frame size, average frames per second, peak frames
per second, total network collisions, network collisions per second, total
runts, total jabbers, total CRC errors, and nodes with highest percentage of
utilization.
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Thank you for Your Attention
Dr. Nadia IRADUKUNDA
E-mail: iradukundanadia1@gmail.com
niradukunda@mkurwanda.ac.rw
Discussion
1. What is Fault management?
n Why is it important in network management?
n What challenges faced in fault management?
2. What is Configuration management?
n Why is it important in network management?
n What challenges faced in configuration management?
3. What is Performance management?
n Why is it important in network management?
n What challenges faced in performance management?
4. What is Security management?
n Why is it important in network management?
n What challenges faced in security management?
5. What is Accounting management?
n Why is it important in network management?
n What challenges faced in accounting management?
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