7.7 Conclusion

Although network management appears to be a simple function, it is actually a complex set of functions with interesting architectural features. In this chapter, we decomposed network management into monitoring, instrumentation, and management and explored how each of these can be achieved within the network management architecture.

The essence of the network management architecture is in understanding what you want to monitor and manage, determining where you want to locate each network management function, and managing the flows of network management traffic. Depending on the characteristics of the network you are developing, you have a wide range of architectural solutions, from a simple single-platform system with preconfigured monitoring and management capabilities to a distributed, hierarchical system in which you determine and configure its monitoring and management capabilities.

Based on the information in this chapter, you have the flexibility to create a network management architecture tailored to the requirements of your customer.