NIT2124 Network Management
Assignment – Network Management Solution
This assignment can be done individually or (optionally) as a group. There is a maximum of two (2) students in a group.
Overview
A common task in network management is the collection and storage of data from managed devices. The data can include, but not limited to, configuration and performance data. The objective of this assignment is to design and implement a network management solution that captures and stores data from various devices. Consider the following diagram that presents a simplified example.
The design of the network management solution will begin with a scenario design. The scenario design will include how many managed devices under consideration (in the range of 2-5 managed devices), and what needs to be captured and stored. The implementation will naturally follow from the scenario design and fulfil the outlined requirements.
Note that only the design will be assessed. In other words there is no need for sample executions of the solution. The solution will be tested after submission.
The MIB objects under consideration should be based on the MIB-II sub-tree (see RFC1213 for more details) with object identifier ‘1.3.6.1.2.1’. Each of the nodes directly below MIB-II is called a group. An overview of the first 7 nodes is given by the following table.
| Name | OID | Description |
| system | 1.3.6.1.2.1.1 | Defines various objects that are useful for system identification. |
| interfaces | 1.3.6.1.2.1.2 | Details the system interfaces. Examples include Ethernet or Wi-Fi interfaces |
| at | 1.3.6.1.2.1.3 | Contains the address translation table. Address translation can include the ARP table. This group has been deprecated and is not expected to be supported in the future. |
| ip | 1.3.6.1.2.1.4 | Provides information about IP packet switching. This includes if IP forwarding has been enabled, the IP address table and the IP routing table. |
| icmp | 1.3.6.1.2.1.5 | Provides information about ICMP (more commonly known as the ping protocol). |
| tcp | 1.3.6.1.2.1.6 | Contains information relating to TCP transport. This includes the current TCP connections. |
| udp | 1.3.6.1.2.1.7 | Contains information related to the UDP transport. This includes the UDP endpoints waiting for a connection. |
Implementation Guidance
Code examples will be made available to give some idea of how to approach the implementation of the solution. See VUCollaborate for further instruction. Furthermore, the appropriate inclusion of rrdtool (http://oss.oetiker.ch/rrdtool/) will attract bonus marks (up to a maximum of 3). Understand that the total possible marks for the assignment will not exceed 25.
Deliverables and Marking Allocation
The deliverables will be divided into two reports: one report for the design and one report for the implementation. Consult the following two tables for more details about the mark allocation for each report. More detailed marking criteria (called an assignment rubric) will be made available on VUCollaborate for each report. Report #1
| Design | 15 Marks | |
| What is the scenario?
• The scenario is clearly defined and well described. • Meets the criteria of the assignment description. |
5 Marks | |
| What data will be collected and stored?
• This includes the identification of specific managed objects found on the managed device (at least the standard objects used by SNMP or equivalent). • The persistent data structures are well specified. This can be either flat files or a relational database. It is expected that there should be at least 3-5 files/tables or equivalent. |
10 Marks |
Report #2
| Implementation | 10 Marks | |
| How is the implementation organised?
• Logically follows from the design of the project. • More specifically, the appropriate commands are used to request the data. |
5 Marks | |
| Does the implementation satisfy the goal of data collection?
• The implementation approach should be clear and well organised. |
5 Marks | |
Submission Method and Due Date
The assignment reports will be submitted using VUCollaborate, where
- Report #1: Due Friday the 31st of May 2019 at 23:00PM, and • Report #2: Due Friday the 14 of June 2019 at 23:00PM.
Students are also required to complete one (1) student declaration form upon submission of Report #1 (either electronic or hard copy). Failure to do so will result in 0 marks awarded for the assignment. Late submissions of the assignment will incur a deduction in the marks given. Also note that each student will receive the same marks for participating in the group, so ensure that all group members contribute equally.