Documenting the Existing Network - Starting Points IACT 418 IACT 918 Corporate Network Planning

Overview Why we need to manage networks Requirements capture and specification Documenting the network configuration.

Why Do We Need to Manage a Network? The network is an important asset to the organisation The larger the organisation the more dependent they are on the telecommunications network This telecommunications network includes  PABX / telephone infrastructure  mainframe, server, routers, bridges, hubs, hosts, terminals, modems  and other telecommunications devices

Why Do We Need to Manage a Network? All these need to be managed within the organisation as a important part of the organisations infrastructure

Why Do We Need to Manage a Network? Personnel who maintain and enhance this telecommunication network need to be Well trained Willing to adapt to changes in the objectives of the organisation as quickly as they can Staff turn over can be a major network management problem that needs to be monitored

Design Many networks are composed of ad hoc network design Network components are often added by a small group within the organisation on a needs basis

Design This then becomes a example of decentralised network configuration Making network management more difficult Especially if individual sections chose different and incompatible network components (often called proprietary solutions) Less of a problem if a standard has been used by the vendors who provided the network component

Design As the organisation grows, so will the network Changes need to be made and documented Future growth projections need to be made The network is a capital expense Ad hoc network planning should be avoided The needs of individual sections of the organisation should be given appropriate attention.

Network Management Architecture ITU Main subsystems Network Management Fault Management Performance Management Configuration Management Accounting Security Management Planning

Network Management Architecture ITU Main subsystems Network Management Fault Management Performance Management Configuration Management Accounting Security Management Planning

Configuration Management Set of middle and long range activities for controlling Physical, logical and electrical inventories Maintaining vendor files and trouble tickets Support for provisioning and order processing Managing changes etc…

Sectionalisation of Networks As networks grow larger there is a trend to divide the network into smaller segments This introduces several problems for managing the network

Sectionalisation of Networks Separate voice and data management Inventory control of shared resources is made more difficult Geographical spread of organisations Where do we keep the inventories Lack of integrated addressing and naming Too many views of the network Physical, electrical and logical configurations

Processes and Procedures Configuration management can be considered the central process of network management All other areas are supported by configuration details

Fault Management Security Management Accounting Performance Management Planning Configuration Management Error rates, Response times etc Configuration Details Configuration Details New Configuration Details Traffic Levels Configuration Details Network Costings

Inventory Management An automated inventory that provides a record of currently installed equipment and spares Equipment (modems, switches, servers, workstations, phones) Facilities (tie lines, trunks) Circuits (individual, groups, multipoint) Networks Services offered Customers Provider, vendor, location and contact All of these need to be documented

Equipment Inventory This needs to be updated to keep track of Installed equipment and circuits Additions and deletions Can be used to Generate reports of all equipment of a given model Find the location of a unit with a certain serial number Generate cost reports based on circuit types Etc

Network Diagrams The topology of the network at any given time can be extracted from the equipment inventory This shows Network locations Controllers Computers Circuits connecting them

Network Diagrams The configuration inventories can also provide Circuit listings  Devices attached to each circuit Wiring diagrams

Vendor Control Vendor information is required to allow the quick retrieval of All equipment of a given vendor Performance statistics for certain equipment from a vendor Contract expiration schedule Invoice verification Maintenance requirements Service statistics  Number of outages, Response time for repair, Repair time distribution, MTBF, MTTR, MTOR

Vendor Control Vendor information helps to Prepare for vendor negotiations Reduce costs by removing overpayments Reduce clerical costs Improve contract control Facilitate budget preparations Make equipment and vendor selection objective

Benefits of Configuration Management Reduced redundancy Synchronised change management Unique names and addresses More efficient troubleshooting Easier capacity and contingency planning

References Kornel Terplan, Communications Network Management Stanford Rowe, Telecommunications for management