Communication Networks and Service Management in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Группа авторов
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СКАЧАТЬ using simple threshold‐based algorithms. In such cases, alerts can be issued to warn the administrators. Figure 1.2 reports the Zabbix architecture as an example.

Schematic illustration of an example of monitoring architecture.

      Source: Courteously from Zabbix.

      Some platforms are open source. They allow to integrate data collected from various deployment into a single centralized center, but rarely offer the ability to change the underlying configuration due to the difficulties in interfacing with different devices. Among those, Zabbix (https://www.zabbix.com), Nagios (https://www.nagios.org), or Cacti (https://www.cacti.net) are the oldest, with more modern solutions like LibreNMS (https://www.librenms.org) or Observium (https://www.observium.org) emerging as novel and more reactive solutions.

      Proprietary solutions offer typically more options and flexibility, and include also the ability to change the network setup. Each vendor has a portfolio of solutions that fits different scenarios and deployment sizes, from small LANs to national‐wide Internet Service Providers. Solutions are also available from independent vendors that have typically multi‐platform support.

      In the previous sections of this chapter, we have described the most standard approach to control and manage a network. Here we briefly present the most recent approaches which are still under investigations by the research and technical communities, with development quickly tacking grounds.

      1.4.1 Software‐Defined Networking – SDN

      Software‐defined networking (SDN) technology is an approach to network management that separate the control plane from the data plane. In the original internet design indeed, the control plane – where control protocols and management actions are performed – is tightly embedded in the data plane – where packets are routed and forwarded. SDN separates the two planes, so that switches become pure forwarding devices, while all the control and management operations are relegated to a centralized controller. The controller defines forwarding rules, which are then send to switches that use them to forward packets along the proper and desired path. This enables dynamic, programmatically efficient network configuration to improve network performance and monitoring. Martin Casado introduced the idea of relying to a centralized controller to improve network management in 2007 [35]. Since then, SDN technology has become mainstream [36], with support first for campus network, then extending its support for data center networks, and more recently in WANs via the SD‐WAN [37], bringing in the WAN area the benefits of decoupling the networking hardware from its control mechanism.

Schematic illustration of the SDN architecture.

      Source: Courteously from Open Networking Foundation.

      SDN is often associated with the OpenFlow protocol [38] that enables the remote communication with the network plane elements and the controller. However, for many companies, it is no longer an exclusive solution, and proprietary techniques are now available like the Open Network Environment and Nicira's network virtualization platform. They all offer the standard API to communicate via the southbound interface.

      1.4.2 Network Functions Virtualization – NFV

      Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is a network architecture that strongly builds on the top of virtualization concepts [39]. It offers the ability to virtualize network nodes and functions into building blocks which can be connected and chained to create more complex communication services. A virtualized network function (VNF) consists of one or more virtual machines and containers that run specific software to implement networking operations in software. Firewalls, access list controllers, load balancers, intrusions detection systems, VPN terminators, etc. can thus be implemented in software – without buying and installing expensive hardware solutions.

Schematic illustration of the network functions virtualization architecture.

      Source: Courteously from Juniper Networks.