Lecture 19:

Web Based Management

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi
SITE, University of Ottawa
Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-1

Using the Web for Management

Web browser UI connects with the management system,
allowing NMS functionality from any node browser that
has access to the network.
Economical
Ubiquitous access

Not to confuse Web Interface and Web-based management

Web Interface to Management
System still primarily SNMP-based, web interface an added
feature

Web-based management
Desktop management interface
Web-based enterprise management
Java management extensions
Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-2

Web Interface

SNMP-based NMS
NMS database transferred to Web-server
View with Web browser
Protocol between NMS and network elements is SNMP
HTTP between Web server and browsers

Desktop PC

Proxy

Web Browser

Method

HTTP

Desktop PC

HTTP

Web Browser

NMS Console

Manager
Applications

Web Server

Web Server

SNMP Manager

Proxy Server
NMS

SNMP Agent

SNMP/
Other

SNMP

SNMP / Other
Agent

Managed Objects

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

Managed Objects

Figure 14.2 Proxy Server with Web Interface

Figure 14.1 SNMP NMS with Web Interface

19-3

Embedded WBM

Web servers are embedded in

managed objects
Data is pushed by the
management agents in managed
objects to the manager
applications
These management agents can
have extra computing capabilities
Opens the market for proprietary
solutions that are customized to
the product.
Advantages?
Disadvantages?

Workstation/PC
Web Browser
Manager
Applications
HTTP

Web Server

Managed Objects

Figure 14.3 Embedded WBM Configuration

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-4

HP Embedded Agent

HP AdvanceStack Assistant
Web agents act as RMONs
Network element w/o Web
agent can be managed
Remote probing of switched
LANs

Workstation/PC
Web Browser
Manager
Applications

Web Agent
Non-Web Agent

http

http

SNMP

Managed Objects

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395
Figure 14.4 Hewlett-Packard Embedded Agent Configuration

19-5

Desktop Management Interface (DMI)

Industry standard generated by

Desktop Management Task Force
(DTMF)
Started in 1992 to manage PCs
Manages both hardware and
software
Two standards

Desktop-resident
Management Application

Management Interface API

Desktop Management Interface software (DMI)

Management information format

(MIF), similar to MIB
Program interface with two APIs

Component Interface API

The DMI is in between the

component and the application
software that manages them.
DMI 1.0 Desktop management
DMI 2.0 Distributed desktop
management.

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

MIF
Database

Component
Agents

Figure 14.5 DMI Infrastructure

CEG 4395

19-6

DMI 2.0 Functions

Architecture has dual representation
Version 1 with data block component I/F
Version 2 with procedural component I/F
MI Interface
Client

Local Block
Interface
Application

Indication
Server

MI Interface
Client

RPC Support

Indication
Server

RPC Support
RPC to/from
Remote Systems

Data Block Mgmt

Interface

RPC SUPPORT
Management Interface Server
Indication Client

SP/MIF
Database

DMI Service Provider

Data Block Component

Interface

Block CI
Component
(HW/SW)

Procedural Component Interface

Procedural CI
Hardware
Component

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

Procedural CI
Software
Component

Procedural CI
Firmware
Component

CEG 4395

19-7

Figure 14.6 DMI Functional Block Diagram

DMI MIB
MIF specified using ASN.1 syntax
Can be managed by an SNMP
manager
DMTF task expanded to specify
WBEM (Web-Based Enterprise
Management)
Integrate existing standards, such as
SNMP, CMIP, DMI, and HTTP.

private
{1 3 6 1.4}

Reserved for
Future Specs

enterprises
(1)

dmtf
(412)

dmiMIB
(1)

dmiObjects
(1)

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

dmiNotification
(2)

dmtfStdMifs
(2)

dmtfDynOids
(3)

dmiConformance
(3)

CEG 4395

19-8
Figure 14.7 DMI MIB

Web-Based Enterprise Management

Web Client

WBEM based on Common

Information Module, developed
by Microsoft
CIM is information-modeling
framework intended to
accommodate all protocols and
frameworks
Object-oriented
Five components:

Web client
CIM object manager (CIMOM)
CIM schema
Management protocol
Managed objects with protocolspecific agents

Desktop PC
SNMP Agent
Web Browser
DMI Agent
Management
Applications

CIM Agent

HTTP

CIM
Object Manager
(CIMOM)

HTTP

CIM
Schema

HTTP
HTTP

SNMP Provider

DMI Provider

SNMP

RPC

SNMP
Managed Objects

CIM
Managed Objects

DMI
Managed Objects

Figure 14.8 WBEM Architecture

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-9

WBEM
Web client is Web browser with management applications:
Application requests use CIM schema
Multiple instances of Web clients feasible
CIM object manger mediates between Web clients, managed
objects, and CIM schema
Microsoft Windows Management Instrumentation uses Distributed
Component Object Model (DCOM)
Suns CIMOM uses JMX

The CIM Schema is used to determine which protocol system

the managed object belongs to as well as perform MIB
translations.
CIM modules:
Core model: high level framework applicable to all management
domains.
Common models: applicable to protocol-specific domains. Includes
information on systems, applications, devices, users, and networks.
Extension model: technology-specific extensions of the common model,
such as UNIX or MS Windows OS specifics.
Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-10

Common Information Module Core Model

Solid lines indicate inheritance, dashed lines indicate association

PhysicalElement (e.g. interface card) and LogicalElement (e.g IP address)
subclasses of ManagedSystemElement
Logical Device is the functionality that the Physical Element supports. e.g. a
network card can support modem or NIC.
Application Component
Resource Component

ProductParentChild

Product

ManagedSystemElement

Component
(views)

Network Component

ProductSupport

SupportAccess

ProductPhysicalElements

System is aggregate of managed

system elements
Service access point is
management, measurement, and
configuration of a service
Managed system elements may
be considered as groups of
components, for example
network, resource, and
applications.

SystemComponent

PhysicalElement
Realizes

ServiceSAPDependency

SystemDevice

Logical Device

LogicalElement

ServiceAccessBySAP

System

Service

ServiceAccessPoint

HostedService
HostedAccessPoint

Figure 14.9 WBEM CIM Core Model

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-11

Windows Management Instrumentation

WMI is Microsoft infrastructure
to support WBEM CIM
WMI comprises management
infrastructure, applications, and
agents
CIMOM has plug-in
management applications
COM/DCOM API specifies
interface to CIMOM
WMI
CIM is the CIM schema
WMI
Objects
Object providers are
management agents (e.g. SNMP
agent)
Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

Management
Applications

Snap-in

Snap-in

COM/DCOM
IWbemServices

MOF Language
COM/DCOM API

CIM Object Manager

Repository

COM/DCOM
IWbemServices

Object Providers

SNMP

RPC

Win 32

SNMP
Objects

DMI
Objects

Win 32
Objects

CEG 4395

Other
Objects

Figure 14.10 WMI Architecture

19-12

Java Management Extensions

JMX is another approach for total management using
Web technology
JMX defines
Management architecture
APIs
Management services

Based on Java Dynamic Management Kit, a

technology introduced by Sun Microsystems for the
development of Service Driven Networks

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-13

Service Driven Network

Service Driven Network: network of services (instead
of network of components)
Service needs provisioning and management
Lets use as an exampleWebphone: Internet analogy to
telephone

Webphone is network-centric device

thin client
hand-held device
a plug-in device in service network

Java technology calls plug-in JavaBean

MBean is management JavaBean
Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-14

JDMK

Java dynamic management tool kit to build Java-based NMS

MBean is an intelligent agent; does not need polling as in SNMP agent
JDMK library of core management services implemented as MBeans
Java Dynamic Management agent comprises
MBeans: core management framework, MBean server
Protocol adaptors: interfaces to applications
Java
Virtual
Machine

Manager

Web Browser

Application

Protocol
Adaptor

Web Server
HTML Adaptor

Protocol
Adaptor

The term blade designates a

standardized module which
one can plug in to a computer
system
Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

C-Bean

MBean

Core Management Framework / MBean Server

MBean

An MBean can be dynamically

loaded. For example, an
MBean can be downloaded to
an agent to take statistical
samples of a router. It can then
be removed after the problem
has been diagnosed. This is
similar to the concept of
software blades.

MBean

Managed Managed Managed

Object
Object
Object

CEG 4395

19-15

Figure 14.11 Java Dynamic Management Agent Architecture

Management Bean

JDMK agents are under the control of master JDMK agent

Manager is NMS
Web server stores management services as applet files with the agents URL
MBean pulled out of the Web server at boot time

hierarchical structure

Manager

Web Server

MB

http://URLA/<Management AppletA>
http://URLB/<Management AppletB>
http://URLC/<Management AppletC>

Master
Agent
MB

MB

Agent Profile A

MB

MB

Core Management
Framework
B

Java DMK

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

Figure 14.12 Management Bean (MB) Flow

Diagram
CEG 4395
19-16

JMX Architecture
JMX architecture comprises three levels
Instrumentation
JMX-manageable resources - network devices, applications, service entities,
and systems
Developed in Java or Java
Additional
Proprietary
Proprietary
Manager
Manager
Web Browser
Management
Management
APIs
wrappers as MBeans Level
Application
Application
SNMP
MBeans implemented either
Manager
JMX Manager
API
static or dynamic

Agents
MBean server is a setAgent
of Level
services for handling
MBeans

CIM/WBEM
API
Protocol
Adaptor

Web Server
HTML Adaptor

Connector

MBean Server

Connector
MBean Server

Service

Service

TMN
Manager
API

Instrumentation
Level
Managed
Object

Managed
Object

Java Virtual Machine

Java Virtual Machine

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

Managed
Object

CEG 4395

19-17
Figure 14.13 JMX Components

JMX Agents
Agents

MBean server is a set of services for handling MBeans

JMX-manageable resources register with an agent
I/F adaptor to Web browser contains a Web server
I/F to JMX manager called a connector
Protocol adaptors represents MBeans in another
protocol, such as SNMP
Agent-Manager communication infrastructure uses
HTTP, CORBA/IIOP, etc.

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-18

JMX Manager
Manager
Comprises management applications, network manager,
and browser
Interfaces with agents via the connector (JMX manager)
or protocol adaptors
CIM/WBEM APIs are grouped into CIM, client, and
provider.
CIM API represents CIM elements as Java class objects
JMX manager interfaces with external database using
JDBC (SQL databases)

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-19

Looking Ahead
Future network and system management frameworks should
accommodate well-established SNMP entities
Web agents are intelligent and future points to the use of Web
technology
Web-based management offers two options
WBEM is comprehensive and centralized approach to enterprise
management; accommodates both scalar and object-oriented
schemes
JMX is decentralized and uses Java technology; agents
embedded in objects and can be downloaded from NMS;
platform independent
Future NMS environment could be a merger of the old and the
new - at least in the near future

Prof. Shervin Shirmohammadi

CEG 4395

19-20

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