A Survey on the Use of P2P Technology for Network Management

Network management has steadily evolved over recent years. Along with the growing need for advanced features in network management solutions, several distribution models were investigated, varying from centralized to fully distributed models. Despite the common agreement that some sort of distribution is really needed to execute management tasks, there seems to exist a permanent quest for the next distributed network management model. Among the distributed models, an interesting and emerging possibility is the use of P2P technology in network management, also known as P2P-Based Network Management (P2PBNM). Several investigations have shown that P2PBNM can be seen as an enabler for advanced network management features. However, due to the dispersion concerning the concepts and features related to these investigations, it is difficult to draw a comprehensive picture of the P2PBNM area. The purpose of this article is to look at literature on P2PBNM and to highlight initiatives regarding the use of P2P technology in network management. Furthermore, such initiatives are classified in respect to proposed review questions. Finally, future trends are discussed in order to predict what the future holds for P2PBNM.