Standard Java-enabled Web browsers can play an increasingly important role in network management because they are COTS products. This reduces the investment required for producing clientside NMS solutions because almost no development is required for the client application framework. The browser provides the execution environment for client applications. A Java-based client application can be executed using the browser to download a Java applet. The use of Java has a number of additional merits:
The needs of network management solution developers are well served by the object-oriented features of Java [JavaDev]. The multiple views of UML fit easily into a Java environment, and some development tools (e.g., Telelogic Tau and Rational Rose) can generate Java code. Security is an increasingly important issue in network management as the incidence of attacks increase [CERTWeb], so it is with good reason that security increasingly concerns the operators of all types of networks. All levels of network management infrastructure have to be protected from the NEs/EMS, all the way up to the business-management layer. Multiplatform support is also important, because two of the main competing platforms are:
Java allows for full compatibility across these platforms: Code written for NT should run unmodified on the others. This can help reduce development and testing time. As NEs deploy increasingly advanced features, it is often necessary to upgrade deployed NMS components . Java provides an elegant means for doing this by the use of packages. These are logical Java code and data entities that can be signed for security and swapped in and out of systems as required. Packages also provide many advantages for developers, such as encapsulation and interfaces. NNM Java InterfaceThe Java-based Web interface in NNM allows the user to connect to the NNM management station. It is also possible to offload the server processes from the management station. This permits the remote viewing of:
The Java interface exports much of the management station function onto desktop systems equipped with little more than standard browsers. This is a very powerful use of COTS software and illustrates the merit of thin clients based on standard browsers. It allows for easy remote access to NNM. Remote operation provides several advantages:
Geographic distribution means that network administrators do not have to be located close to the management station. They can dial in and access the functions and features. This raises an important issue of security. Network topology details are sensitive matters from the perspective of security, infrastructure protection, and commercial advantage. Offloading management station functions is useful for freeing central resources. This can facilitate deployment of more advanced third-party software features on the central server. |