Rapid prototyping network management systems

The author presents a tutorial on the use of an expert shell in rapid prototyping of network management systems. Prototyping issues considered include the selection of an expert shell, software architecture, and the development cycle. It is concluded that expert-system shells provide a development environment that can dramatically boost productivity over conventional programming approaches and make rapid prototyping possible. It is noted that the frame- and rule-based nature of the shells fits well in real-time network configuration and fault analysis.