2008 International Seminar on Business and Information Management
Web-Based Network Management System Revolving About Database
Zhang Yongjun
Key Laboratory of Optical Communication and
Lightwave Technologies, Ministry of Education
Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications
Beijing, P.R.China
yjzhang@bupt.edu.cn
Abstract—The advances of network technology bring many
more kinds of network form, such as SDH network, PON
network, video network, power network and so on. On the one
hand it leads to the network complication and on the other
hand also puts forward higher requirement on business
network management system. Database-centric network
management would improve network security and reliability;
provide effective, open, integrated and economic network
environment for operators and users. This paper would
amplify the application of database technology in network
management. For the management way of network system, C/S
(client/server) structure using the mode of “request/response”
couldn’t satisfy management information system (MIS) for
interactive data requirements. In contract, the web-based B/S
(browser/server) architecture which is becoming the
mainstream mode of network exploitation dynamically releases
information by updating the records and fields in the database
through GUI. This paper would introduce application services
in web-based network information management as well.
Keywords-database; web-based; network management; C/S;
B/S
I. INTRODUCTION TO NETWORK MANAGEMENT
Rapid development of network technology meets
network needs of people and provides reliable support for
operators’ services on the on hand. On the other hand the
complication of network devices improves network
complexity and management difficulty. Real-timely
monitoring network state and enhancing network OAM
(Operation and Maintenance) capability have become an
importance task in network management. An effective
network management system would promote network whole
performance; ensure the normal operation of the services;
grooming service traffic; exclude and restore network
failure in time; improve network security and reliability,
provide an effective, open, integrated and economic modern
network for operators and users.
In general, a business network management system
includes configuration management, performance
management, fault management, security management and
accounting management five parts [1]. The architecture
consists of a GUI (Graphic User Interface), a management
entity playing the role of manager in a system and a peer
entity playing the role of agent in another system. The GUI
978-0-7695-3560-9/08 $25.00 © 2008 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/ISBIM.2008.68
Jiang Dingfu
Key Laboratory of Optical Communication and
Lightwave Technologies, Ministry of Education
Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications
Beijing, P.R.China
jiangyue1015@gmail.com
interacts with administrator while the agent visits the data of
managed resources. The manager sends operation requests to
agent who operates the managed objects and sends back
manager the result responded by managed resources.
II. WEB-BASED NETWORK MANAGEMENT
The C/S (Client/Server) structure [13] applied to
traditional management information system uses the answer
mode of “request/response”. The client initiates the
“request” while users need visiting server. The server
responds and executes corresponding services then returns
the client relevant execution results after receiving the
“request”.
In C/S structure, clients connect server directly. The
response mode of “request/response” needs no processing
step so that it reduces data loads and speeds up system
response time. But C/S structure can just apply to local area
net (LAN). The special client development tools reduce
system generality, expansibility and client’s program
compatibility; increase promoting difficulty and operation
cost; lead to weaker system distribution. So it couldn’t
achieve rapid deployment and configuration; and is difficult
to realize the dynamic release of information.
Web-based B/S (Browser/Server) architecture could
manage the network system easily just needing installing a
browser in the client. Administrators achieve management
functions for the managed network on client browser of any
computer linking to internet with web-based network’s
strong distribution. Meanwhile it could extend the
management functions of network only by increasing web
pages that the costs of maintenance and administration
significantly reduce. Through the web server connecting
database, it could carry out data query, update and displaying
in the web pages. That greatly enhances system’s interactive
ability; achieves the dynamic release only by updating some
records and fields in the database on the GUI (Graphic User
Interface).
The comparison of C/S and B/S network management
mode displays as figure 1. In application, through integrating
web server into OLT (Optical Line Terminate) devices,
administrators could manages the OLTs installed in the
machine rooms and ONU s (Optical Network Units) located
in customer side in internet remotely. So that it realizes the
management functions for GEPON network. In web-based
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TMPLS network management system, it monitors TMPLS
devices real-timely in the backbone remotely by managing
the routers of the network in internet.
Figure 1. Comparison of C/S and B/S architecture in network
management.
III. MAIN TECHNOLOGIES OF WEB-BASED NETWORK
MANAGEMENT
Web-based network management system realizes
monitoring and management functions through GUI on the
web server. The main technologies of system are listed as
table 1. The development of GUI uses JSP (Java Server
Page) script language [3] which bases on Java Servlet
technology and the whole java system with the advantages
of efficient, security and extensive platform applicability
and so on. It reduces programming workload; realizes
system’s modular design; and is beneficial to system porting
and extension using JavaBean [4] to encapsulate some
common functions of the management system, such as
querying and updating database, communication function
between GUI and manager and so on.
TABLE I. Main Technologies
Technology Function
JSP Develop web pages.
JavaBean Encapsulate common functions.
JDBC Connect database.
Socket Communicate among GUI, manager and
agent
JavaApplet Draw graph.
JavaScript Realize special effect.
Ajax No-refurbish alarm automatic monitoring
Efficient, reliable and security data services are the basis
of ensuring system normal operation. As the bridge
connecting GUI and data source, JDBC (Java Database
Connectivity) [5] realizes data storage and retrieval on web
pages. The communication among GUI, manager and agent
uses Socket [6] technology by opening communication ports
then transmitting and receiving application information. The
JavaApplet [7] technology draws network topological graph,
flow statistic graph, blocking probability graph and so on
real-timely and dynamically after obtaining management
data from database. To endow the web pages vividness,
simplicity, dynamic and cross-platform characteristics,
JavaScript [8] technology extends web page special effect
and meets humanistic requests for management.
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As for alarm monitoring with the way of refreshing web
page, it need to improve refreshing frequency to trace
information under the condition of greater data flow. This
aggravates server load; affects system reliability. In addition,
the flashing of web pages influences the vision of
administrator as well. Using client script exchanging data
with web server and processing the database data timingly
in the background, Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript + XML)
[9] realizes no-refurbish alarm automatic monitoring;
ensures system reliability and real-time performance;
reduces the work load of server; beautifies management
interface; and improve network operation and management
capability.
IV. WEB-BASED NETWORK MANAGEMENT REVOLVING
ABLOUT DATABASE
Management Database (MDB) is the core of a network
management system [10]. Efficient, reliable and consistent
information services guarantee the smooth execution of
management functions. It provides approaches for web-
based network management by using JDBC to communicate
between web pages and MDB. On the premise of ensuring
the reliability and stability of configuration management,
performance management, fault management, security
management and accounting management web-based
network management revolving ablout database improve
system security, dynamic and supervision further.
Figure 2. Principle of database-centric network management system.
The principle of web-based network management
revolving ablout database is shown in figure 2. As GUI is
only permitted to query database, the information could be
dynamically released; meanwhile the system security could
also be improved. Taking database as the center, it could
make a backup of any record on database operations and
improve system supervision as well [11].
Database-centric management mode could analyze
network performances real-timely [12]. While some
performance deteriorates system would enter fault
management process. While some fault affects the promise
with quality assurance, it would enter accounting
management process to compensate customer loss. While
accounting management finds illegal accounting data, the
database would enter security management process to
modify relevant security parameters to ensure system’s
efficient and reliable running. These advantages have very
important application for business network management
system, such as video device network management system,
transmission equipment network management system,
power network management system and so on; and are
beneficial to giving full play to the hardware performance of
managed devices.
A. Database-centric configuration management
Configuration management is responsible to supervise
and control network configuration status; definite, monitor
and modify the configuration information of network
topology structure, resource configuration, usage status and
so on in the process of network establishing, extending,
remolding and services carrying on.
As the basic management function, configuration
management needs to inform the administrator of the
current configuration status as reference which is obtained
by reading hardware register directly. To achieve that, GUI
sends query commands to manager which then forwards
these commands to agent after appropriate handling.
According to MIB (Management Information Base) agent
inquiries bottom hardware and return the results to GUI step
by step. In the condition of high query frequency, it would
increase network management extra-load; reduces network
management efficiency. Meanwhile frequently operating
would impact greater pressure on hardware as well.
Database-centric configuration management reports all
hardware configuration status at system initiating and then is
restored into MDB. So that it just needs to query the database
when GUI inquiries configuration status. Bottom hardware
reports new configuration status and database updates the
relevant records to ensure real time and accuracy of
configuration status while configuration status changes
because of configuration parameters being modified or other
factors. So it could real-timely and intuitively displays the
network architecture by combining database and JavaApplet
technology after obtaining hardware topology information in
database. In addition, it could also realize difference report
of current configuration and basic configuration using
database technology. This leads to lower hardware load and
higher security. Meanwhile, it records the information of
operation time, IP, administrator, object and so on while GUI
or Manager operates on database to make a backup of system
logs and administrator motions.
In application, database-centric DSL terminate
management [14] could configure devices automatically by
collecting data from hardware, storing into MDB and
processing them dynamically. With database technology it
could realize web-based automatically productions
configuration management as well.
B. Database-centric performance management
Through monitoring and detecting network performance
and acquisiting related performance statistics for analysis
and diagnosis, performance management ensures efficient
network operation; provides appointed Qos (quality of
service); and improves resource utilization.
It includes performance monitoring, managerial
controlling and statistical analysis three parts. Performance
monitoring collects performance-related data continuously
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from hardware and stores them to MDB. Administrator
masters the equipment units’ performance situation of
deteriorated Qos led to by less frequent or continuous errors
by querying performance data in MDB and determines the
performance of managed equipments. Performance
managerial controlling queries performance parameters in
MDB reported from bottom hardware and then submits
them to GUI for display, such as acquisition cycle of
performance management data 、 storage and filtering
conditions for performance monitoring data and so on.
Administrator modifies and configures parameters
according to needs to improve the hardware performance
situation maximally. Performance statistical analysis deals
with performance data in MDB further. GUI informs
manager the type of performance data and data obtaining
interval. In accordance with the Management Information
Base (MIB) manager dealt with the received data and
forwards them to agent to poll hardware and return the
result to MDB. The statistical analysis function calculates
and compares the updated performance data then reports
analysis results in the form of picture or figure, such as flow
statistic, interface utilization, error rate of input interface,
error rate of output interface, throughput and so on.
In business application, embedded database performance
management could be applied in network performance
management system to speed up storage process greatly to
collect much more performance information from bottom
hardware and improve the quality of network performance
management.
C. Database-centric fault management
Fault management detects and corrects network
problems through alarm monitoring, fault location, testing,
service restoration, maintaining failure logs and other
measures. It maintains network effectiveness dynamically.
Database-centric no-refurbish alarm automatic
monitoring uses background to supervise the network; and
avoids direct operation alarm data on web page. So that it
improves network security and reliability; wipes of
drawbacks of refurbish alarm monitoring. At the initiation
of network management system, manager tests, observes
and detects agent continuously or intermittently with self-
trapping-oriented polling method; reports alarm information
while failure is found. At the same time socket monitoring
ports are opened. As long as the alarm information is
detected it would be stored into MDB through JDBC.
Meanwhile the monitoring process starts up, gets into
Javascript background and sets proper interval time to query
MDB uninterruptedly then returns the corresponding alarm
data. By comparing the two successive results return from
MDB GUI displays alarm detail to realize no-refurbish
alarm automatic monitoring when the results are different.
After the fault location finishes, manager stores the
information to MDB then dynamically releases them on web
and reminds the maintenance station closest to the fault site
of resuming quickly. In addition, fault management
improves management reliability and dynamic through
backup logs file in MDB.
 Embedded database-centric fault management could be
applied in communication base station management to store
various fault-relevant data and analyze real-timely to
forecast possible fault. While some fault occurs, it would
deal with data all immediately to make a backup and
provide beneficial conditions for system recovery.
D. Database-centric security management
Security management protects network service, data and
system by providing information security, authentication
and integrity protection mechanisms.
It contains the security management for managed
objects and for network management system itself two
aspects. According to security configuration parameters in
MDB and in accordance with the MIB it modifies the
parameters to realize the security management for managed
objects. The system executes strict user authentication by
defining administration users with different distinctions in
MDB to improve network security performance. Meanwhile
the MDB also makes a backup of logs and security-relevant
administrator motions.
In application, database-centric security management
could be applied in Library security management system to
protect all information with its advantages of mass storage
and safety.
E. Database-centric accounting management
Accounting management realizes network utilization
statistics and accounting for network cost benefit by
calculating correctly and then charges network services.
Powerful database backup and data processing
technologies guarantee the rate management and bill
management of network accounting management. By
designing corresponding rate with different services,
calculating and comparing data using formulas to generate
accounting bill, storing the bill into MDB, dynamically and
real-timely releasing bill on web pages for customer
inquiring, the web-based accounting management function
is realized.
In application, database-centric accounting management
with B/S mode could be used to charge for internet bar
billing management by setting different rates and fee factors
for different users and computers in MDB. Administrator
could maintain and manage the database on web pages
through importing and exporting account data
corresponding to individual customers. In addition,
Database-centric mode also provides powerful support to
IP-based network accounting system.
V. CONCLUTION
Web-based network management revolving about
database puts forward a feasible mode for network
information processing and has the characteristics of wide
distribution, full interactivity, real-time dynamic and so on in
the application; and is beneficial to timely adjustment for
network performance and rapid recovery for fault.
Combining the technologies of JSP, JavaBean, JDBC,
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Socket, JavaApplet, Ajax, JavaScript and so on, database-
centric network management mode ensures the reliable,
efficient and stable operation of configuration, performance,
fault, security and accounting management in the
development of business network management system, such
as TD-SCDMA network, PON network, TMPLS network,
IPTV network, power network and so on. In practice, it is
worth mentioning that it improves the dynamical and real-
time release performance of accounting management,
realizes web-based management for rate and bill. Customers
could receive bills real-timely in internet and deals with them
conveniently. This is propitious to the management of
network vendors as well.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported in part by TMPLS research of
advanced optical network lab in Beijing University of Post
and Telecommunication. It also contains the effort of my
student Jiang Ding fu. Thanks to his advice and help during
the composition.
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