Compaq 167050-001 Compaq Netelligent Network Management Overview - Page 13

043A/0996 NETWORK MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW (cont'd) ... Management Protocol (SNMP) for networks, and the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for communication over the Internet - into an architecture that can be managed using any Web browser. The initial proponents of this industry-wide effort will cooperate on developing the resulting standards. Previous industry attempts at integrating enterprise management have resulted in a variety of frameworks and incompatible management protocols and data models, making it difficult to integrate management solutions in customers' enterprise environments. To achieve this integration and meet customer needs, the inherent benefits of Internet technologies must be leveraged through Web-based management standards. This effort provides the foundation for developing these industry standards. By implementing a solution using the Web-based Enterprise Management standards, information technology managers will gain an integrated low-cost management solution that spans their systems, networks and applications, while preserving their investments in existing management investments, standards and protocols. Components of the Web-based Enterprise Management Standards Effort The effort outlined today is based on existing industry standards. Structured and unstructured data can be presented by a variety of methods, including SNMP, HTML, and DMI, as well as new methods being defined within the standards organizations to support SNMP over HTTP. Additionally, the effort promotes the use of two new management-related technologies to provide data modeling, manipulation, and communication capabilities, recently outlined at a meeting of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF): • HyperMedia Management Schema (HMMS), an extensible data model representing the managed environment. • HyperMedia Management Protocol (HMMP), a communication protocol embodying HMMS, run over HTTP. The HyperMedia Management Protocol has been presented to the IETF and is currently under discussion. This schema will be defined, maintained and evolved by the Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF), pending its approval. The schema will be maintained on a public Web site using specially constructed tools to ensure consistency and longevity of the data model. A portable C++ implementation of a HyperMedia Object Manager (HMOM) will also be created and made freely available. HMOM will manage elements as objects, integrating management data and coordinating control through a variety of management protocols and interfaces (such as SNMP, DMI, etc.) through Web-based consoles and other management applications. The specification for HMOM and the portable C++ implementation will be placed in the public domain. For more information on the components comprising the Web-Based Enterprise Management effort, please refer to the effort's Web site at http://www.wbem.freerange.com. SUMMARY Network management is an excellent and essential investment in the future of your network. It can quickly pay for itself by increasing your company's productivity by reducing or eliminating network downtime. It empowers you with control and oversight of your network operations, preventing you from becoming a victim of network problems that could have been avoided. Compaq offers a complete family of network management applications that provide complete control over your Compaq Netelligent repeaters, switches and routers, maintaining your investment in networking hardware. 13