On using mashups for composing network management applications

Abstract

Mashups are web applications created through the integration of external resources available on the web. They have been considered a hallmark of Web 2.0 technologies, allowing end users to develop their own applications and encouraging cooperation and reuse. However, their usage in the network management field remains unexploited. In this context, we look at Web 2.0 as a feasible mechanism able to integrate heterogeneous management information. In this article, we propose an architecture and a system prototype that allows network administrators to design their own management applications through the composition of external resources. The creation of mashups for two network management scenarios allowed us to both evaluate our architecture and, mainly, observe benefits, challenges, and opportunities that arise from such an approach. Observed characteristics, such as ease of use, extensibility, and contextspecific development, make mashups a candidate for an interesting area for further research in the network management field. © 2006 IEEE.