A prototype network monitoring information system: modelling, design, implementation and evaluation

This paper presents the modelling, design, implementation, and evaluation of a prototype network monitoring () information system. First, a general overview of such management systems is provided highlighting the need for the visualisation of network elements in order reliable network monitoring to be achieved. Moreover, the importance of monitoring the network operation from the network administrators and other relevant users is underlined by presenting the main reasons for using NM tools. Then, the functional and architectural design and implementation of the proposed network monitoring tool are presented. This tool uses state-of-the-art implementation standards and technologies, like the TMF608 multi-technology network management (MTNM), the network management layer-element management layer (NML-EML) interface and the JBoss enterprise application platform. A major feature of this prototype NM tool is the graphical representation of the telecommunication elements/managed objects over a panel, which contains a map and representations of possible active alarms over these elements/objects. The proposed NM tool supports real-time alarms and allows the users to acknowledge them. Next, an operational demonstration of how the prototype NM information system works is provided along with some discussion on evaluation results. Finally, conclusions and future work are given.