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NMF SPIRIT Issue 3.0 Platform Blueprint
NMF SPIRIT Issue 3.0 Platform Blueprint
Copyright © 1995 Network Management Forum
SPIRIT Distributed Systems Management Model
Network and system resources are interconnected and interrelated
in order to support the business objectives of the enterprise.
Management capability, which is defined as a set of
features including
management functions, communications services and managed resource
definitions, is superimposed on the network and system resources,
for both operator and programmatic interaction with the resources.
Management capability is realised through the Manager/Agent paradigm.
A Manager is defined to be a function that is required to
be executed
on a SPIRIT Distributed Systems Management Platform
(Managing System).
These functions are implemented by management applications.
The Manager supports communication with a Managed System.
Since the resource is not necessarily equipped to support the
management communications (transport and/or protocol), an Agent is
developed to represent the resource to the Manager.
An Agent is defined to be a capability that is required on
a management enabled SPIRIT general-purpose computing platform
(Managed System).
The resource represented by the Agent is locally instrumented to
provide management command/control functions and monitoring
information.
The Agent exchanges the relevant information with the Manager
using management protocols.
In the management model, the Agent is that part of a distributed
application that makes visible the managed resource represented
by managed objects within its local system environment.
A managed resource definition represents the external view of
a resource (or the abstraction of its properties) that is subject to
management.
An Agent performs management operations on managed objects as a
consequence of management operations communicated from a Manager.
An Agent may also forward notifications emitted by managed objects
to a Manager.
The Manager/Agent paradigm is illustrated here.
Managers can communicate with other Managers using Manager/Agent
protocols.
It is expected that management applications can also be distributed
using client/server or other distributed processing paradigms.
Figure: Management Model
The Managed System (Agent) specifications (prefixed MNA) are
defined in
SPIRIT Agent
.
The Managing Systems (Manager) specifications (prefixed MNM)
are defined in
SPIRIT Manager
.
Management Functions
Management functions are required for business, configuration,
software, operations, performance, problem and security management.
These functions are described in more detail in
SPIRIT Scope of Management
.
The specified SPIRIT management functions are a subset of these functions.
Business Management
This management area encompasses management of the enterprise's
business aspects.
Of these, accounting management is specified, which allows a managed
system to collect usage data and bill information system expenses
to users.
Functions include:
-
starting and stopping the collection of data
-
identifying which usage data can be collected and under
which circumstances it is to be reported.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP).
- Managed resources include:
Systems, physical devices, software components, logical resources.
Configuration Management
This management area encompasses management of the way the
resources of an information system interrelate including physical
configuration (such as location, interconnecting relationships).
It includes creation, accessing and updating (adding, deleting
and modifying) configuration information.
Of these, accessing and updating configuration information are
specified in this issue, which allows a managing system to:
-
read attributes regarding configuration of managed system resources
-
modify attributes regarding configuration of managed system resources
-
read and modify attributes regarding relationships between resources.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP), Internet (SNMP).
- Managed resources include:
Systems, physical devices, software components, logical resources.
Software Administration
This management area encompasses the distribution, installation,
activation and testing of system and application software in a
distributed environment.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP), Internet (SNMP) or via other RPC mechanisms.
- Managed resources include:
Software components.
Operations Management
This management area encompasses the monitoring, distribution,
evaluation and control of information systems workloads and
operational state.
Of these, workload monitoring and state management are specified
in this issue.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP), Internet (SNMP).
- Managed resources include:
Systems, physical devices, software components, logical resources.
Performance Management
This management area encompasses how to plan, evaluate and
control the quality of the delivered service to the users of
an information system.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP), Internet (SNMP) or via other RPC mechanisms.
- Managed resources include:
Systems, physical devices, software components, logical resources.
Problem Management
This management area encompasses the detection, analysis,
recovery, resolution, and so on, of problems occurring in the
information system.
Of these, the detection and reporting of problems is specified in
this issue, which allows a managed system to:
-
perform trouble management
-
report alarms
-
control reporting activities, such as starting and stopping reporting
-
log alarm-related events.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP), Internet (SNMP).
- Managed resources include:
Systems, physical devices, software components, logical resources.
Security Management
This management area encompasses the administration and control of
security in information systems.
Of these, the functions are specified which enable a managed system to:
-
perform authentication
-
check and set access privilege of entities
-
report alarms for security service violations, integrity losses,
physical violations, and so on
-
enable security audit trail and security-related events.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP).
- Managed resources include:
Systems, physical devices, software components, logical resources.
Managed Resource Definitions
In order to implement the required management functions defined in
SPIRIT Scope of Management
,
appropriate resource definitions are needed.
A managed resource definition represents the external view of
a resource (or the abstraction of its properties) that is
subject to management.
An essential part of a managed resource definition contains the
relationship between these properties and the operational behaviour
of the resource.
An Agent must provide the mechanisms to allow the managed resource
to perform local operations and notifications in cooperation with
the Manager.
This part references a set of managed resources that can be
implemented so that general-purpose computing platforms are
management enabled.
These are extracted from already defined standards and specifications
of major standards bodies and consortia, such as references to managed
resource definitions from the NMF WWW Server (http://www.nmf.org).
Further work is required to define the sets of managed resource
definitions, management functions, protocols and applications to
meet specific business requirements.
It is also expected that definitions from the Desktop Management
Task Force (DMTF) will be incorporated into the Server.
Managed resource definitions contain such elements as:
-
system (or subsystem), representing a collection of elements as a whole
-
physical devices contained in the system
-
software components, representing operating system, middle software
and application programs contained in the system
-
logical resources, representing logical data (or concepts) introduced
for management purposes.
Categorisation of Managed Resources
This section categorises managed resources and identifies their
relationship with management functions.
Included are those categories of interest for the management of
general-purpose computing platforms.
It has not been possible in SPIRIT Issue 3.0 to identify a complete set
of specific managed resource definitions that fit all these
categories due to the current state of standardisation.
-
Managed System
Managed System is primarily the overall container that represents
the general-purpose computer being managed.
There are three main aspects of it: physical devices, software
components and logical resources.
In Internet, managed system is included in the Host Resources MIB.
In OSI, managed system can be derived from "System" object.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP), Internet (SNMP), DMTF (SNMP).
- Management functions include:
Configuration, problem (includes fault), operation, business,
performance, security.
-
Physical Devices
These managed resource definitions describe the actual physical
devices within the managed systems as outlined above.
In Internet, physical devices are included in the Host Resources MIB.
In OSI, there are no defined objects corresponding to physical devices
within the scope of SPIRIT specifications.
- Typical management technology:
Internet (SNMP), DMTF (SNMP).
-
Software Components
These managed resource definitions describe the software components
of the system.
This includes the operating system, applications, local and
remote file system, and so on.
In Internet, software components are included in the Host Resources MIB.
In OSI, Software Components can be derived from "Application
Process" object.
- Typical management technology:
OSI (CMIP), Internet (SNMP), DMTF (SNMP).
-
Logical Resources
Logical Resources describe the running software on the system.
This includes processes, queues, users, logical devices,
logical objects, and so on.
In Internet, some logical resource are included in the Host
Resources MIB.
- Typical management technology:
Internet (SNMP).
Related Work on Managed Resource Definitions
Managed resource definitions are being defined by a variety of
standards groups and consortia.
SPIRIT makes reference to the standards produced by the
organisations shown in
Relationship between Managed Resource Definitions
.
Distributed Support Information Standards (DSIS)
DSIS states management requirements in generic attributes that are
independent of the underlying management infrastructure (that is, not
MIFs, MIBs or GDMO models).1
These requirements are offered as guidance to the content of
standards.
Each standards body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" may translate these protocol-neutral information
requirements into their standards framework.
Figure: Relationship between Managed Resource Definitions
OMNIPoint
The OMNIPoint initiative led by NMF encompasses managed objects
and ensemble definitions for the management of both telecommunications
network management and corporate networked computer systems.
OMNIPoint references managed resource definitions from multiple
sources such as ISO, ITU, NMF, Internet, and so on.
The NMF also maintains an Email Bulletin Board containing objects
and ensembles.
The contents of this bulletin board are updated periodically.
- Note:
- For SPIRIT purposes (Distributed Systems Management), only those
definitions pertinent to Systems Management are selected.
-
ISO/ITU/NMF/etc.
These are based on ISO and ITU-T-defined managed objects and
related information.
The NMF WWW Server (http://www.nmf.org) identifies currently stable and supported objects and
ensemble definitions.
Related work continues in ANSI (T1), ETSI, TTC, INTAP, EWOS, AOW
and OIW.
-
Internet MIBs
The Internet defines MIBs for management of Internet systems
including Host, LAN and TCP/IP networks.
The relevant MIBs are Host Resource MIB and MIB II.
-
DMTF
The DMTF (Desktop Management Task Force)
has defined a common structure for management definitions
in the MIF (Management Information Format).
DMTF is currently working on common defined resources to represent
personal computer and workstation-related resources.
-
X/Open, POSIX and others
X/Open, POSIX and others are in the process of defining systems
management functions such as printer management, backup and restore,
software administration and performance management.
These functions use generic managed resource definitions (not MIFs,
MIBs or GDMO models).
The managed resource definitions are function-specific.
Managed Resource Areas
shows the managed resource areas currently addressed by the
different standards groups and referenced by SPIRIT.
Table: Managed Resource Areas
|
| Internet
| OSI,
| DMTF MIF
| X/Open
| POSIX
|
|---|
|
|
| OMNIPoint
|
|
|
|
|---|
| Managed System
| Yes [1]
| Yes [2]
| Yes [3]
| No
| No
|
| Physical Devices
| Yes [1.1]
| No
| Yes [3.1]
| No
| No
|
| Disk
| Yes [1.1.1]
| No
| Yes [3.1.1]
| Yes [4]
| No
|
| Display
| Yes [1.1.2]
| No
| Yes [3.1.2]
| Yes [4]
| No
|
| Network
| Yes [1.1.3]
| No
| Yes [3.1.3]
| No
| No
|
| Printer
| Yes [1.1.4]
| No
| Yes [3.1.4]
| No
| No
|
| Processor
| Yes [1.1.5]
| No
| Yes [3.1.5]
| Yes [4]
| No
|
| Tape
| Yes [1.1.6]
| No
| Yes [3.1.6]
| No
| No
|
| Storage
| Yes [1.1.7]
| No
| Yes [3.1.7]
| No
| No
|
| Keyboard
| Yes [1.1.8]
| No
| Yes [3.1.8]
| No
| No
|
| Modem
| Yes [1.1.9]
| No
| No
| No
| No
|
| Parallel Port
| Yes [1.1.10]
| No
| Yes [3.1.10]
| No
| No
|
| Mouse
| Yes [1.1.11]
| No
| Yes [3.1.11]
| No
| No
|
| Serial Port
| Yes [1.1.12]
| No
| Yes [3.1.12]
| No
| No
|
| Clock
| Yes [1.1.13]
| No
| No
| No
| No
|
| Power Supply
| No
| No
| Yes [3.1.14]
| No
| No
|
| Software
| Yes [1.2]
| No
| Yes [3.2]
| No
| Yes [5]
|
| Operating System
| Yes [1.2.1]
| No
| Yes [3.2.1]
| Yes [4]
| Yes [5]
|
| AP
| No
| Yes [2.1]
| No
| No
| Yes [5]
|
| File System
| Yes [1.2.3]
| No
| Yes [3.2.3]
| No
| Yes [5]
|
| Logical Resources
| No
| No
| No
| No
| No
|
| Process
| Yes [1.3.1]
| No
| No
| No
| No
|
| Queue
| No
| No
| No
| Yes [4]
| No
|
| Logical Devices
| Yes [1.3.4]
| No
| Yes [3.3.4]
| No
| No
|
There may be several definitions related to the same resource being
defined, but, in most of the cases, these definitions are not
consistent between the standards bodies.
However, some of these bodies have made efforts in trying to use
equivalent definitions in order to describe the same resources
in different description languages.
This considerably reduces the amount of effort needed to translate
from one model to another.
One example is the OMNIPoint CMIP/SNMP Interworking component
set which automates the translation between CMIP and SNMP managed
resource definitions.
Another example is RFC 1759 (Printer MIB) and the Printer MIF.
Notes used in
Managed Resource Areas
are defined as follows:
- Note
- Description
- [1]
- RFC 1514: hrSystem (Host Resource System group);
RFC 1213: system (System group)
- [1.1]
- RFC 1514: hrDevice (Host Resource Device group)
- [1.1.1]
- hrDeviceDiskStorage; hrStorageFixedDisk; hrStorageRemovableDisk;
hrtorageFloppyDisk
- [1.1.2]
- hrDeviceVideo
- [1.1.3]
- hrDeviceNetwork
- [1.1.4]
- hrDevicePrinter; Printer MIB (RFC 1759)
- [1.1.5]
- hrDeviceProcessor; hrDeviceCoprocessor
- [1.1.6]
- hrDeviceTape
- [1.1.7]
- Storage (Memory, VirtualMemory)
(RFC 1514: Host Resource Storage group)
- [1.1.8]
- Keyboard (RFC 1514: Host Resource Device group)
- [1.1.9]
- Modem (RFC 1514: Host Resource Device group)
- [1.1.10]
- ParallelPort (RFC 1514: Host Resource Device group)
- [1.1.11]
- Pointing device/Mouse (RFC 1514: Host Resource Device group)
- [1.1.12]
- SerialPort (RFC 1514: Host Resource Device group)
- [1.1.13]
- Clock (RFC 1514: Host Resource Device group)
- [1.2]
- RFC 1514: hrSWRun (Host Resource Running Software group);
hrSWRunPerf (Host Resource Running Software Performance group),
hrSWInstalled (Host Resource Installed Software group)
- [1.2.1]
- hrSWOSIndex; hrSWRunType
- [1.2.3]
- hrFSTable; hrFSType
- [1.3.1]
- hrSystemProcesses; hrSystemMaxProcesses
- [1.3.4]
- RFC 1213: interfaces (Interface group);
at (Address Translation group); ip (IP group);
icmp (ICMP group); tcp (TCP group); udp (UDP group); egp (EGP group)
- [2]
- ISO/IEC 10165-2 (X.721): system
- [2.1]
- ISO/IEC 10165-5 (X.723): applicationProcess
- [3]
- PC System MIF, Version 1
- [3.1]
- PC System MIF - System BIOS; Processor; System Motherboard;
Physical Memory; System Cache; Serial Port; IRQ Resource;
DMA Resource; Memory Mapped I/O
- [3.1.1]
- PC System MIF - Disks
- [3.1.2]
- PC System MIF - Video; Video BIOS
- [3.1.3]
- LAN Adapter MIF - Network Adapter Port; Network Adapter Drive group;
Network Adapter; Hardware group
- [3.1.4]
- Printer MIF
- [3.1.5]
- PC System MIF - Processor
- [3.1.7]
- Storage (Memory, VirtualMemory) (PC System MIF)
- [3.1.8]
- Keyboard (PC System MIF)
- [3.1.10]
- Parallel Port (PC System MIF)
- [3.1.11]
- Pointing device/Mouse (PC System MIF)
- [3.1.12]
- Serial Port (PC System MIF)
- [3.1.14]
- Power Supply (PC System MIF)
- [3.2]
- Software MIF
- [3.2.1]
- PC System MIF - Operating System
- [3.2.3]
- PC System MIF - Partition; File System
- [3.3.4]
- PC System MIF - Logical Drives; FRU; System Cache; System Slots
- [4]
- X/Open UMA Data Pool Definition
- [5]
- POSIX 1387.2 Software Administration
Definition Languages and Templates
It is recognised that different modelling techniques and languages
exist: Concise MIB (Management Information Base), GDMO (Guidelines
for the Definition of Managed Objects), MIFs (Management Information
Format), and so on.
OMNIPoint Objects and Ensembles are currently described by GDMO
templates, Internet MIBs by Concise MIB format, and DMTF objects by MIF.
Mapping conventions have been defined by NMF between SNMP and
CMIP (in both directions).
Footnotes
- 1.
- Distributed Support Information Standards Requirements Specification,
Document PW017, Revision 2.0, November 22, 1994.
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