An open network management architecture: OSI/NM Forum architecture and concepts

Several organizations are incorporating the architecture being developed by the Open Systems Interconnection/Network Management Forum into their network management products and systems. It is expected that, as this architecture develops, it will be the basis for multivendor exchange of network management data for the next five to ten years. This architecture and key concepts being developed by the Forum to allow the interoperation of several network management systems using an open interface are summarized. These apply to the full range of networks that must be managed, including computer and communication, local area, wide area international, voice (public and private), and packet data networks. The concepts covered include: Conformant Management Entity (CME), which is a management system that supports the interoperable interface defined by the Forum; managed objects, the abstract representations of the real resources to be managed; and the interoperable interface, which consists of a defined set of protocols (using the OSI seven-layer protocol stack) over which particular messages about managed objects are exchanged.<>