Network management station
Encyclopedia
A Network Management Station (NMS) is one that executes Network Management Application
s (NMAs) that monitor and control network element
s (NE) such as hosts, gateways and terminal servers. These network elements use a management agent
(MA) to perform the network management functions requested by the network management stations. The Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) is used to communicate management information between the network management stations and the agents in the network elements.
A network management station is simply the host system which runs
A NMS provides FCAPS
functionality for the whole network.
Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security, the management categories into which the ISO model defines network management tasks. In non-billing organizations accounting is sometimes replaced with administration.
Looking into the industry aspects, there are various players in the market like NokiaSiemens - NetAct, IBM - NetCool.
Open source NMS solutions are also available like opennms.
NMS is described in RFC 1157 (A Simple Network Management Protocol).
Network Management Application
As defined by the ISO/OSI Network management model and its subset of protocols, namely SNMP and CMIP a Network Management Application is the software that sits on the Network Management Station and retrieves data from a Management agent for the...
s (NMAs) that monitor and control network element
Network element
A network element is usually defined as a manageable logical entity uniting one or more physical devices. This allows distributed devices to be managed in a unified way using one management system....
s (NE) such as hosts, gateways and terminal servers. These network elements use a management agent
Management agent
A Management agent is a software agent that runs on a managed node and provides an interface to manage it. It can perform operations on managed objects in the node and can also forward notifications to the manager ....
(MA) to perform the network management functions requested by the network management stations. The Simple Network Management Protocol
Simple Network Management Protocol
Simple Network Management Protocol is an "Internet-standard protocol for managing devices on IP networks. Devices that typically support SNMP include routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, modem racks, and more." It is used mostly in network management systems to monitor...
(SNMP) is used to communicate management information between the network management stations and the agents in the network elements.
A network management station is simply the host system which runs
- the network management protocol and
- one or more network management applications.
A NMS provides FCAPS
FCAPS
FCAPS is the ISO Telecommunications Management Network model and framework for network management. FCAPS is an acronym for fault, configuration, accounting, performance, security, the management categories into which the ISO model defines network management tasks...
functionality for the whole network.
Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security, the management categories into which the ISO model defines network management tasks. In non-billing organizations accounting is sometimes replaced with administration.
Looking into the industry aspects, there are various players in the market like NokiaSiemens - NetAct, IBM - NetCool.
Open source NMS solutions are also available like opennms.
NMS is described in RFC 1157 (A Simple Network Management Protocol).
External links
- Adolfo Rodriguez, John Gatrell, John Karas, Roland Peschke. TCP/IP Tutorial and Technical Overview IBM Redbooks. GG24-3376-06 ISBN 0-7384-2165-0.