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1.10.1 Web-based Enterprise Management

The Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) initiative was launched by vendors BMC Software, Cisco Systems, Compaq Computer, Intel, and Microsoft to address the challenge of distributed networks using emerging Web-based technologies. Other goals included the integration of network, systems, and application management; platform and management environment independence; scalability to grow as networks expand; plus leveraging the low cost of Web-enabled clients.

The WBEM proposal consists of several elements (see Figure 1-14):

  Hypermedia Management Schema (HMMS), an extensible data model which can be used to describe the managed objects. The DMTF was chartered with further defining of the HMMS.
  HyperMedia Management Protocol (HMMP), which is a communication protocol that embodies HMMS and runs over the HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP), with interfaces to SNMP and DMI in the future. The HMMP allows the aggregated data to be queried across the network and shared among top-level applications. The IETF was chartered with further refinement of the HMMP.
  HyperMedia Managed Object (HMMO) is a managed entity, containing at least one URL, that contains data that can be managed by a client browser, either directly or through some type of management schema.
  HyperMedia Object Manager (HMOM) is a generic definition for management applications that combines information from multiple sources and uses a communication protocol to present that information to the client (browser) using the HyperText Markup Language (HTML). It is anticipated that the HMOM could be implemented using a number of development platforms, such as Java, Active X, Common Gateway Interface (CGI), the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), and others.


Figure 1-14.  WBEM architecture

References [1-26] and [1-27] provide details on WBEM.

1.10.2 Java Management API

SunSoft’s Java is a simple yet robust object-oriented programming language that has been implemented across a wide variety of platforms and operating systems. The Java Management API (JMAPI) is a set of objects and development tools for creating network management solutions that can be utilized by a wide variety of heterogeneous networks. Thus, the JMAPI leverages the platform-independence of the Java computing environment, extending Java’s “write once, run everywhere” capabilities to the traditionally proprietary architectures of network management systems and consoles. In addition, the JMAPI allows for the integration of SNMP agent information into the Java environment, thus leveraging classic network management solutions with the emerging technology of Web-based network management.

The JMAPI consists of three functional components: a Browser User Interface, an Admin Runtime Module, and Appliances (see Figure 1-15).


Figure 1-15.  Java Management API architecture components (Copyright 1996, Sun Microsystems, Inc.)

The Browser User Interface (BUI) is the means by which the network administrator issues the management queries and commands. The BUI requires a Java-enabled Web browser that has the capabilities to run Java applets. Applets are Java programs that can be included in a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page, in much the same way that graphics, such as .GIF files, may be included in a page. When a Java-compatible browser views a page containing an applet, the applet code is transferred to, and executed on, the browser. The BUI uses the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for communication with an HTTP server within the Admin Runtime Module, which loads the initial Java applet and JMAPI objects. Other communication across machine boundaries uses the Remote Method Invocation (RMI). The JMAPI applet consists of the Administrative View Module (AVM), which provides a set of building blocks for user interface and application-level functionality. The Managed Object Interfaces perform remote management functions.

The Admin Runtime Module (ARM) is the focus of the administration efforts; it consists of several elements. The HTTP Server provides bootstrap services for the Java elements. After the Java applets take control, the Managed Objects Interfaces in the BUI provide the communication link to the ARM. The Managed Object Factory implements the management operations and interacts with the Agent Object Interfaces and the Managed Data Interfaces. The Managed Data Interfaces access a relational database through the Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) Interface, which provides the repository of management information.

The Appliances are the devices being managed by the Admin Runtime Module. An Appliance contains an Agent Object Factory which creates and maintains instances of agent objects. When the objects are invoked, they may download Java code to implement the management operations. Integration with SNMP agents, which implements the protocol and handles traps, has also been designed into the system.

Thus, the Java Management API provides the tools for developing network and service management systems that can operate across a diversity of systems and platforms. References [1-28] and [1-29] provide further details on JMAPI.


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