Abstract
M.Comm.
This dissertation is devoted to an investigation into the network-management environment, with special emphasis on the security aspects and the provision of a reference framework when choosing a network-management product.
The dissertation is aimed at those responsible for network-management and the selection of the various network-management products by providing a framework for evaluating network management products. The first four chapters provide the background to the reference framework. The following two chapters are devoted to those aspects to be taken into consideration when evaluating a network-management product. The consolidation and the case study in chapters seven and eight provide an abridged version of the framework and illustrate how the framework could be applied to a network-management product. Chapter one provides the background to the reference framework regarding networks and network-management. The concept of network-management is introduced, as well as the three forms of architectures that could be implemented, namely centralised, hierarchical and distributed architectures. A number of network-management functions have to be taken into consideration when evaluating a network-management package, namely configuration, asset,
fault, performance, accounting and security management. These functions are also covered in chapter six. Chapter two provides the background to the security aspect of the reference framework. The three main topics covered in this respect are the definition of network-security, computer crime and specific elements of network-security. This chapter also provides a springboard for the evaluation of the network-management environment, as well as an idea of what issues and measures should be addressed and taken in order to prevent, or at least minimise, the effects of network-security breaches. Chapter three covers issues relating to network-security responsibilities, with special reference to the management side of network-management, including those issues that management should take into consideration when evaluating the network-management environment. Two methods that could be implemented include network-management policies and strategies. Network-security policies and strategies encompass those issues necessary for effective security within an organisation. This chapter, however, covers the more theoretical or higher-level goals or objectives of network-management. Chapter four relates to more of the day-to-day management issues of the network-security and the network-security management services and functions that should be considered. These include issues such as network-security services, managing network access, monitoring and controlling the network security
system and the maintenance and modification of the said system. Network-management product considerations are discussed in chapter five, which chapter can
be viewed as the business and practical side of the reference framework. The topics discussed here are more closely related to the business considerations when evaluating a networkmanagement package and the practical issues of network-management. Topics discussed in this chapter include security and network-management products, practical approaches to choosing network-management products, critical success factors of network-management and analysis of the cost component. In contrast to these issues, the reference framework expounded in chapter six concentrates on the technical and network-management functions. Chapter six constitutes the culmination of the present dissertation in the form of a reference
framework, which is for the greater part formulated along the lines of the criteria given. This reference framework is aimed at those experts enlisted to evaluate and select networkmanagement products, specifically as far as their security-management features are concerned. The areas covered include the user framework, the product framework, networkfault management, network-performance management, network-accounting management, network configuration and change management, network-security management and conformance testing. The topics discussed are, however, by no means exclusive and there are a number of other issues that have not been addressed in this dissertation, but which, depending on the network environment, would have to be taken into consideration. Chapter seven is a consolidation of the reference framework given in chapter six, as well as of some of the main points and criteria that could be considered when performing a quick evaluation of a product. This chapter does not, however, make any pretence to being exhaustive, but merely serves to highlight a few crucial criteria. Chapter eight is devoted to a case study in terms of which the reference framework is applied to a network-management product. In conclusion, a summary of the dissertation is given in chapter nine.