Question

Q1 In your own words, provide an official definition of Network Management (NM) and briefly discuss an example (other than IT) than can best support your definition (refer to the book’s example/analogy). Answer:

Q2 List the different entities that have an interest in NM and discuss their concerns from the perspective of their business model. Answer:

Q3 Outline all major challenges facing NM and briefly discuss each one of them. Answer:

Q4 Provide one and only one example of a scenario that best depict IDS. Answer:

Q5 Briefly outline the main characteristics of the Internet Data Center scenario and the inherent fuzziness when discussing managing networks vs managing devices, servers, and applications. Answer:

Q6 What are the other significant factors, other than managing technology, that can be considered when discussing NM. Answer:

Answer 1

ANSWER:

GIVEN THAT:

To provide an official definition of Network Management (NM):

The Network management(NM) is defined as the process of managing a network for fault and performance using various tools and technologies to keep up with the business requirements.

The objective of network management is to achieve an error free network. In today's environment, multiple network management tools are employed making the whole process a complex one.

Fault identification in network management:

The biggest challenge with today's network management solutions, is to proactively identify faults before it impacts end-users. OpManager detects, isolates and troubleshoots faults, raises alarms to remediate faults quickly.

OpManager, the integrated network management software allows you to:

* Set multiple thresholds for performance metrics.

* Get proactively notified for threshold violations and faults through email and SMS.

* Process SNMP traps and syslogs and raise alerts.

* Automatically log alarms as tickets into a service desk software

Network Performance Management:

Performance management involves troubleshooting faults either through a manual or automated approach so that the performance of the network is restored to its original or improved condition. OpManager offers basic and advanced network troubleshooting tools to fix faults that degrade network performance.

OpManager troubleshoots network faults through:

* Inbuilt tools - OpManager offers a variety of tools such as ping, traceroute, MIB browser, remote control, and more to troubleshoot basic performance issues.

* NCM module - OpManager includes a network configuration management module to manage configuration changes. With this, it is easier to automate configuration backups, adhere to compliance policies, and detect network changes in real time.

Network Provisioning:

Network provisioning involves calculating the load handled by the network and future demands based on the current network trend. It also involves keeping resources in reserve so that when a need arises, it becomes easier to handle.

OpManager helps in resource management with:

*Capacity Planning Reports - OpManager is pre built with 150+ network management reports that provide information on device upgrades, bandwidth usage, disk & memory utilization etc. These reports help in identifying network trends and assist in resource allocation.

*IP Address and Switch Port Management - OpManager's IP address & switch port management console, helps in managing IP addresses and switch ports for space and availability. OpManager tackles IP and switch port conflicts, audits user access and provides prompt notifications on status changes.

Maintaining QoS in network management:

It is common for network performance to degrade as years pass by. Therefore, it is essential to deliver quality IT services to end-users meet the SLA month on month. OpManager, the network management tool helps you adhere to service level agreements and achieves 99.9% availability for your network and business critical applications. With business level dashboards, it is possible to detect the factors affecting your business in real time.