Mika Leppinen

Java- and CORBA-based network management

Systems to manage distributed heterogeneous networks and services must often use off-the-shelf components and leverage legacy applications. Much of the telecommunications industry uses a network architecture based on CMIP (Common Management Information Protocol) to manage networks and services, while much of the Internet uses the SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). To provide distributed network management, the telecommunications industry must accommodate both, Nokia developed the Distributed Computing Platform prototype to support the creation, management, and invocation of distributed telecommunications services. Using CORBA as a base, DCP handles network management by adding managed-object models and protocols. It provides mechanisms that allow communication between CMIP-based objects and a gateway for SNMP-based systems. The prototype also allows users to access network information via Web browsers, CGI gateways, and Java or HTTP daemons. The Nokia engineers also discuss the lessons they learned about Java and CORBA integration.