CHAPTER 3

Basic Foundations:
Standards, Models, and Language
Contents
■ Standards, Models, and Language needed for network management
■ Network Models
• OSI
• Internet
• TMN
• IEEE 802
• Web-based
■ Management communication protocols
• SNMP
• CMIP
• XML
• CORBA
■ ASN.1 language
• Syntax
• Macro
■ Basic encoding rule
■ Management application functions
Network Management Standards
Standard Salient Points
OSI/CMIP 1. International standard (ISO/OSI)
2. Management of data communications network - LAN
and WAN
3. Deals with all 7 layers
4. Most complete
5. Object oriented
6. Well structured and layered
7. Consumes large resource in implementation
SNMP/Inter 1. Industry standard (IETF)
net 2. Originally intended for management of Internet
components,
currently adopted for WAN and telecommunication
systems
3. Easy to implement
4. Most widely implemented
TMN 1. International standard (ITU-T)
2. Management of telecommunications network
3. Based on OSI network management framework
4. Addresses both network and administrative aspects of

management
5. eTOM industry standard for business processes for
implementing TMN using NGOSS framework
IEEE 1. IEEE standards adopted internationally
2. Addresses LAN and MAN management
3. Adopts OSI standards significantly
4. Deals with first two layers of OSI RM
Web-based 1. Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM)
Manageme 2. Java Management Extension (JMX)
nt 3. XML-Based Network Management
4.CORBA-based Network Management
 OSI Architecture and Model
Network
Management

Organization Information Communication Functional

Model Model Model Model

Figure 3.1 OSl Network Management Model

• Organization • Communication
• Network management components • Transfer syntax with bidirectional messages
• Functions of components • Transfer structure (PDU)
• Relationships • Functions
• Information • Application functions
• Structure of management information (SMI) • Configure components
• Syntax and semantics • Monitor components
• Management information base (MIB) • Measure performance
• Organization of management information • Secure information
• Object-oriented • Usage accounting
SNMP Architecture and Model

Network
Management

Organization Information Communication Functional

Model Model Model Model

• Organization
• Same as OSI model
• Information
• Same as OSI, but scalar
• Communication
• Messages less complex than OSI and
unidirectional
• Transfer structure (PDU)
• Functions
• Application functions
• Fault management
• Configuration management
• Account management
• Performance management
• Security management
 TMN Architecture

• Addresses management of telecommunication networks

• Based on OSI model
• Superstructure on OSI network
• Addresses network, service, and business management
Organizational Model

• Manager
• Sends requests to agents
• Monitors alarms
• Houses applications
• Provides user interface
• Agent
• Gathers information from objects
• Configures parameters of objects
• Responds to managers’ requests
• Generates alarms and sends them to
managers
• Managed object
• Network element that is managed
• Houses management agent
• All objects are not managed / manageable
 Two-Tier Model

MDB Manager
• Agent built into network element
Example: Managed hub, managed router
• An agent can manage multiple elements
Example: Switched hub, ATM switch
Managed objects • MDB is a physical database
Unmanaged objects • Unmanaged objects are network elements
MDB Management Database that are not managed - both physical (unmanaged
Agent process hub) and logical (passive elements)

Figure 3.2 Two-Tier Network Management Organization Model

Three-Tier Model

MDB Manager

MDB Agent / Manager

Managed objects
MDB Management Database

Agent process

Figure 3.3 Three-Tier Network Management Organization Model

• Middle layer plays the dual role

• Agent to the top-level manager
• Manager to the managed objects
• Example of middle level: Remote monitoring
agent (RMON)
Manager of Managers

MoM MDB

Agent
Agent NMS
Agent
Agent NMS
• Agent NMS manages the domain
MDB MDB
Manager Manager
• MoM presents integrated view of domains
• Domain may be geographical, administrative,
vendor-specific products, etc.
Managed objects
Managed objects

Agent NMS

MoM Manager of Managers Manager

Agent
MDB Management Database

Agent process

Figure 3.4 Network Management Organization Model with MoM

Peer NMSs

Agent NMS Manager NMS

Manager NMS Agent NMS

Figure 3.5 Dual Role of Management Process

• Dual role of both NMSs

• Network management system acts as peers
• Dumbbell architecture
• Notice that the manager and agent functions are
processes and not systems
Information Model: Analogy

• Figure in a book uniquely identified by

• ISBN, Chapter, and Figure number in that
hierarchical order
• ID: {ISBN, chapter, figure}
• The three elements above define the syntax
• Semantics is the meaning of the three
entities according to Webster’s dictionary
• The information comprises syntax and semantics
about an object
Structure of Management Information (SMI)

• SMI defines for a managed object

• Syntax
• Semantics
• Plus additional information such as status
• Example
sysDescr: { system 1 }
Syntax: OCTET STRING
Definition: "A textual description of the entity. "
Access: read-only
Status: mandatory
Management Information Base (MIB)

• Information base contains information about objects

• Organized by grouping of related objects
• Defines relationship between objects
• It is NOT a physical database. It is a virtual
database that is compiled into management module
Information Base View: An Analogy

• Fulton County library system has many branches

• Each branch has a set of books
• The books in each branch is a different set
• The information base of the county has the
view (catalog) of all books
• The information base of each branch has the
catalog of books that belong to that branch.
That is, each branch has its view (catalog) of
the information base
• Let us apply this to MIB view
MIB View and Access of an Object

• A managed object has many attributes - its

information base
• There are several operations that can be
performed on the objects
• A user (manager) can view and perform only
certain operations on the object by invoking
the management agent
• The view of the object attributes that the agent
perceives is the MIB view
• The operation that a user can perform is the
MIB access
 Management Data Base / Information Base

MDB Manager MIB

MDB Management Database

MIB Management Information Base

Agent process • Distinction between MDB and MIB

Managed objects • MDB physical database; e.g., Oracle, Sybase
• MIB virtual database; schema compiled into
management software.
• An NMS can automatically discover a managed
Figure 3.6 Network Configuration with Data and Information Base object, such as a hub, when added to the network
• The NMS can identify the new object as hub only
after the MIB schema of the hub is compiled into
NMS software.
Managed Object

• Managed objects can be

• Network elements (hardware, system)
• Hubs, bridges, routers, transmission facilities
• Software (non-physical)
• Programs, algorithms
• Administrative information
• Contact person, name of group of objects
(IP group)
Management Information Tree

Root

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Figure 3.7 Generic Representation of Management Information Tree

OSI Management Information Tree

• iso - International Standards Organization

itu iso iso-itu
0 1 2 itu - International Telecommunications Union
dod - Department of Defense
org • Designation:
3
• iso 1
dod
• org1.3
6 • dod 1.3.6
• internet 1.3.6.1
internet
1

Figure 3.8 OSI Management Information Tree

 Object Type and Instance

• Type
• Example of a circle
• Name
• “circle” is syntax
• Syntax • Semantics is definition from dictionary
• Definition “A plane figure bounded by a single curved
• Status line, every point of which is of equal distance
from the center of the figure.”
• Access • Analogy of nursery school
• Instance
 Managed Object: Internet Perspective

Access: Object Type:

Access Object ID and · object ID and descriptor unique ID and name for the object
privilege Descriptor · syntax used to model the object
circle
· access access privilege to a managed object
· status implementation requirements
· definition textual description of the semantics of
Status : object type
Implementaion
requirements
Syntax : Defintion :
model of object Semantics -
textual description

Figure 3.9(a) Internet Perspective

 Managed Object: OSI Perspective

Notifications :
Notify changes in
a ttribute values

· object class managed object

· attributes attributes visible at its boundary

Object Class:
· operations operations which may be applied to it
Circular
· behaviour behavior exhibited by it in response to operation

Elliptical
object
Object Class:
object Behaviour

Operations: · notifications notifications emitted by the object

Push

Attributes : Attributes:
circle, dimension ellipse, dimension

Figure 3.9(b) OSI Perspective

Packet Counter Example
Characteristics Example
Object type PktCounter
Syntax Counter
Access Read-only
Status Mandatory
Description Counts number of packets
Figure 3.10(a) Internet Perspective

Characteristics Example
Object class Packet Counter
Attributes Single-valued
Operations get, set
Behavior Retrieves or resets values
Notifications Generates notifications on new
value
Figure 3.10 (b) OSI Perspective

Figure 3.10 Packet Counter As Example of Managed Object

Internet vs. OSI Managed Object

• Scalar object in Internet vs. Object-oriented

approach in OSI
• OSI characteristics of operations, behavior, and
notification are part of communication model in
Internet: get/set and response/alarm
• Internet syntax is absorbed as part of OSI attributes
• Internet access is part of OSI security model
• Internet status is part of OSI conformance application
• OSI permits creation and deletion of objects;
Internet does not: Enhancement in SNMPv2
Management Communication Model

Operations / Requests

Manager Responses Agent

Network Elements /
Applications Notifications / Traps
Managed Objects

Figure 3.11 Management Message Communication Model

• In Internet requests/responses, in OSI operations

• In Internet traps and notifications (SNMPv2), in
OSI notifications
Transfer Protocols

Manager Operations / Requests / Responses Agent

Applications Traps / Notifications Applications

Manager Agent
SNMP (Internet)
Communication Communication
CMIP (OSI)
Module Module

UDP / IP (Internet)
Transport Layers Transport Layers
OSI Lower Layer Profiles (OSI)

Physical Medium

Figure 3.12 Management Communication Transfer Protocols

• Internet is based on SNMP; OSI is based on CMIP

• OSI uses CMISE (Common Management Information
Service Element) application with CMIP
• OSI specifies both c-o and connectionless transport
protocol; SNMPv2 extended to c-o, but rarely used
Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1)

• ASN.1 is more than a syntax; it’s a language

• Addresses both syntax and semantics
• Two types of syntax
• Abstract syntax: set of rules that specify
data type and structure for information storage
• Transfer syntax: set of rules for communicating
information between systems
• Makes application layer protocols independent of
lower layer protocols
• Can generate machine-readable code: Basic
Encoding Rules (BER) is used in management
modules
 Backus-Nauer Form (BNF)

Definition: • BNF is used for ASN.1 constructs

<name> ::= <definition> • Constructs developed from primitives
Rules: • The above example illustrates how numbers
<digit> ::= 0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9 are constructed from the primitive <digit>
<number> ::= <number> | <digit> <number> • Simple Arithmetic Expression entity (<SAE>) is
<op> ::= +|-|x|/ constructed from the primitives <digit> and
<SAE> ::= <number>|<SAE>|<SAE><op><SAE> <op>
Example: Simple Arithmetic Expression
• 9 is primitive 9
<SAE> ::= <number> | <SAE><op><number>
• 19 is construct of 1 and 9
• 619 is construct of 6 and 19 Example: 26 = 13 x 2

Constructs and primitives

Type and Value

• Assignments
• <BooleanType> ::= BOOLEAN
• <BooleanValue> ::= TRUE | FALSE

• ASN.1 module is a group of assignments

person-name Person-Name::=
{
first "John",
middle “T",
last "Smith"
}
 Data Type: Example 1
PersonnelRecord ::= SET • Module name starts with capital letters
{ Name, • Data types:
title GraphicString, • Primitives: NULL, GraphicString
division CHOICE • Constructs
marketing [0] SEQUENCE • Alternatives : CHOICE
{Sector, • List maker: SET, SEQUENCE
Country}, • Repetition: SET OF, SEQUENCE OF:
• Difference between SET and SEQUENCE
research [1] CHOICE
{product-based [0] NULL,
basic [1] NULL},
production [2] SEQUENCE
{Product-line,
Country } }
etc.
Figure 3.13 ASN.1 Data Type Definition: Example 1
 Data Type: Example 2

Trade-message ::= SEQUENCE • SEQUENCE OF SEQUENCE makes table of rows

{invoice-no INTEGER
name GraphicString,
details SEQUENCE OF
SEQUENCE
{part-no INTEGER
quantity INTEGER},
charge REAL,
authenticator Security-Type}

Security-Type ::= SET

{ …
…
… }
Figure 3.14 ASN.1 Data Type Definition: Example 2
 ASN.1 Symbols ASN.1 Keyword

Symbol Meaning • CHOICE

::= Defined as • SET
| or, alternative, options of a list • SEQUENCE
- Signed number
• OF
-- Following the symbol are comments
• NULL
{} Start and end of a list
[] Start and end of a tag
() Start and end of subtype • Keywords are in all UPPERCASE letters
.. Range
 ASN.1 Data Type Conventions Data Type: Structure & Tag
Data Types Convention Example
Data Type

Tag
Object name Initial lowercase letter sysDescr, etherStatsPkts Structure
Application data type Initial uppercase letter Counter, IpAddress
Module Initial uppercase letter PersonnelRecord
Macro, MIB module All uppercase letters RMON-MIB
Keywords All uppercase letters INTEGER, BEGIN
Number

Simple Structured Tagged Other Class

Context-
Universal Application Private
specific
• Structure defines how data type is built
• Tag uniquely identifies the data type
Figure 3.15 ASN.1 Data Type: Structure and Tag
 Structure

• Simple
• PageNumber ::= INTEGER Example
• ChapterNumber ::= INTEGER
• Structure / Construct • BookPages ::= SEQUENCE OF
• BookPageNumber ::= { BookPageNumber}
SEQUENCE or
{ChapterNumber, Separator, PageNumber BookPages ::=
Example: {1-1, 2-3, 3-39} SEQUENCE OF
• Tagged {
• Derived from another type; given a new ID SEQUENCE
• In Fig. 3-14, INTEGER is either universal or
application specific {ChapterNumber, Separator,
• Other types: PageNumber}
• CHOICE, ANY }
 Tag

• Tag uniquely identifies a data type

• Comprises class and tag number
• Class:
• Universal - always true
• Application - only in the application used
• Context-specific - specific context in application
• Private - used extensively by commercial
vendors

Example:
BOOLEAN Universal 1
INTEGER Universal 2
research Application [1] (Figure 3.13)
product-based Context-specific under research [0]
Enumerated Integer

RainbowColors ::= ENUMERATED

{
violet (0)
indigo (1)
blue (2) • ENUMERATED is a special case of INTEGER
green (3)
yellow (4) • Example: RainbowColors(5) is orange
orange (5)
red (6)
}
 ASN.1 Module Example

IpNetMediaEntry ::=SEQUENCE{
ipNetToMediaIfIndex INTEGER
ipNetToMediaPhysAddress PhysAddress
ipNetToMediaNetAddress IpAddress
ipNetToMediaType INTEGER}
Name: John T Smith
Title: Director
Employee Number 51
Date of Hire: 17 September 1971
Name of Spouse; Mary T Smith
Number of Children 2
Child Information
Name Ralph T Smith
Date of Birth 11 November 1957
Child Information
Name Susan B Jones
Date of Birth 17 July 1959
(a) Informal description of personnel record
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PersonnelRecord ::= [APPLICATION 0] IMPLICIT SET {
Name,
title [0] VisibleString,
number EmployeeNumber, ASN.1 Description of Record Value
dateOfHire [1] Date,
nameOfSpouse [2] Name,
children [3] IMPLICIT SEQUENCE OF ChildInformation DEFAULT { } }
ChildInformation ::= SET {
Name,
dateOfBirth [0] Date }
Name ::= [APPLICATION 1] IMPLICIT SEQUENCE {
givenName VisibleString,
initial VisibleString,
familyName VisibleString }

EmployeeNumber ::= [APPLICATION 2] IMPLICIT INTEGER

Date ::= [APPLICATION 3] IMPLICIT VisibleString -- YYYYMMDD

(b) ASN.1 description of the record structure
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{ {givenName “John”, initial “T”, familyName “Smith”},
title “Director”
number 51
dateOfHire “19710917”
nameOfSpouse {givenName “Mary”, initial “T”, familyName “Smith”},
children
{{ {givenName “Ralph”, initial “T”, familyName “Smith”},
dateOfBirth “19571111”},
{ {givenName “Susan”, initial “B”, familyName “Jones”}
dateOfBirth “19590717”}}}
(c) ASN.1 description of a record value
 Object Name

itu iso iso-itu

0 1 2

org
3

• internet OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::=

dod
{ISO(1) ORG(3) DOD(6) INTERNET(1)} 6

internet
1

private
4

• What is the OBJECT IDENTIFIER for private enterprise

1
enterprise ibm?
IBM
2
TLV Encoding – encoding structure

Type Length Value

Class P/C Tag Number

(7-8th bits) (6th bit) (1-5th bits) • TLV Type, length, and value are components
of the structure
Class 8th bit 7th bit
Universal 0 0
Application 0 1
Context-specific 1 0
Private 1 1
 Macro

<macroname> MACRO ::=

BEGIN
TYPE NOTATION ::= <syntaxOfNewType>
VALUE NOTATION ::= <syntaxOfNewValue>
<auxiliaryAssignments>
END
• Macro is used to create new data types
Example:
CS8803 OBJECT-IDENTITY
STATUS current
DESCRIPTION "A graduate-level network
management course offered every fall by
College of Computing in Georgia Institute of
Technology."
::= {csclasses 50}
Functional Model
OSI
Functional Model

Configuration Fault Performance Security Accounting

Management Management Management Management Management

• Configuration management
• Set and change network configuration
component parameters
• Set up alarm thresholds
• Fault management
• Detection and isolation of failures in network
• Trouble ticket administration
• Performance management
• Monitor performance of network
• Security management
• Authentication
• Authorization
• Encryption
• Accounting management
• Functional accounting of network usage