SELFCON: An architecture for self-configuration of networks

Traditional configuration management involves complex labor-intensive processes performed by experts. The configuration tasks such as installing or reconfiguring a system, provisioning network services and allocating resources typically involve a large number of activities involving multiple network elements. The network elements may be associated with proprietary configuration management instrumentation and may also be spread across heterogeneous network domains thereby increasing the complexity of configuration management. This paper introduces an architecture for the self-configuration of networks (SELFCON). The proposed architecture involves a directory server, which is used to maintain configuration information. The configuration information stored in the directory server is modeled using the standard DEN specification thereby allowing effective exchange of network, system and configuration management data among heterogeneous management domains. SELFCON associates configuration intelligence with the components of the network, rather than limit it to a centralized management station. The network elements are notified about related changes in configuration policies, based upon which, they perform self-configuration. SELFCON is able to provide automation of configuration management and also an effective unifying framework for enterprise management.