Network management system using web server controlled mobile agents

Abstract

Large, heterogeneous computer networks with ever changing topology and size are typical environments today which network management systems struggle to control. Unexpected events occur frequently in these networks resulting in failure situation. In this paper we have developed a real implementation of web based network management tool named as ManageNet. It uses the mobile agent technology. The agents as well as the additional resources that they require reside on a web server. These agents decentralize processing thus distributing processing load and reducing the traffic around the management station. ManageNet provides for remote agent creation whereby network management tasks can be initiated by logging on to the web server from any node in the network. It is equipped with daemon services that allow initiation of network management task in absence of administrator. We suggested and examined the ways of improving dependability and flexibility of network management systems using ManageNet. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2004.