Management System Overview

This chapter outlines the various methods of managing the system. There are multiple ways to locally or remotely manage the system using its out-of-band management interfaces. These include:

  • Using the Command Line Interface (CLI) Remote login using Telnet, and Secure Shell (SSH) access to CLI through SPIO card Ethernet management interfaces Local login through the Console port on SPIO card using an RS-232 serial connection
  • Using the Web Element Manager application Supports communications through 10 Base-T, 100 Base-TX, 1000 Base-TX, or 1000 Base-SX management interfaces on the SPIO Client-Server model supports any browser (i.e. Microsoft Internet Explorer v5.0 and above or Netscape v4.7 or above, and others) Supports Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) protocol, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for encryption of management data, and Simple Network Management Protocol version 1 (SNMPv1) for fault management Provides complete Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security (FCAPS) capabilities Can be easily integrated with higher-level network, service, and business layer applications using the Object Management Group’s (OMG’s) Interface Definition Language (IDL)
The following figure demonstrates these various element management options and how they can be utilized within the wireless carrier network. Element Management Methods
Figure 1. Element Management Methods

The system’s management capabilities are designed around the Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) model for management - focusing on providing superior quality Network Element (NE) and element management system (Web Element Manager) functions. The system provides element management applications that can easily be integrated, using standards-based protocols (CORBA and SNMPv1), into higher-level management systems - giving wireless operators the ability to integrate the system into their overall network, service, and business management systems.

Overview information about each of these methods follows. For detailed information, please see the System Administration and Configuration Reference, the Web Element Manager Getting Started Guide, or the Web Element Manager’s robust Help system.

Out-of-Band Management

Management of the system is performed using Out-Of-Band (OOB) transmission methods through either the Console port or one of the Ethernet management ports on the SPIO. OOB management ensures that no management traffic can be accessed or viewed by any subscriber. Management data is separated on different physical interfaces from those used to transport user data. The following figure shows this separation.


Figure 2. Separation of Management Data From User Data

Additionally, the system uses the local context solely for system management purposes. Contexts are described in this document’s Glossary, but basically they provide a way to host multiple virtual service or configuration parameter groups in a single physical device. To ensure OOB management, users are required to create other service-specific contexts for user data.

By using the local context as the separate management context, network operations personnel are able to utilize their own RADIUS services for management authentication and accounting, further maintaining the separation of user and management data.

Command Line Interface

CLI Overview

The CLI is a multi-threaded man machine interface that allows users to manipulate, configure, control, and query the various components that make up the system and the services hosted within the system. The CLI contains numerous command sets that perform various pre-defined functions when entered by a user. The CLI communicates with other controls and software tasks that make up the operating system.

The CLI provides numerous features, including:

  • Simultaneous multiple CLI user support, providing a CLI instance for every context. The maximum number of multiple CLI session support is based on the amount of available memory. The Resource Manager, however, reserves enough resources so that the following minimum number of CLI sessions are assured: For ASR 5000s: 15In both cases, one of the assured sessions is reserved for use exclusively by a CLI session on an SPIO console interface.
  • Local or remote management login support
  • Hierarchical structure supporting two command modes
    • Exec (execute) Mode, supporting basic commands that allow users to maneuver around system and perform monitoring functions
    • Config (configuration) Mode, providing global system configuration and context and service-specific configuration functions
  • Differentiated administrative user privileges
    • Inspector users have minimal read-only privileges
    • Operator users have read-only privileges. They can maneuver across multiple contexts, but cannot perform configuration operations
    • Administrator users have read-write privileges and full access to all contexts and command modes (except for a few security functions)
    • Security Administrator users have read-write privileges and full access to all contexts and command modes
  • Intuitive CLI command prompt displaying user's exact location within the CLI, command mode, and user privilege level
  • CLI command auto-completion feature that allows users to enter only enough characters to make a command unique, prompting the system to complete the rest of the command or keyword by pressing the <Tab> key
  • CLI auto-pagination, improving the readability of command output displays
  • Complete command history features, allowing users to review all commands previously entered during current session, and EMACS-style command line manipulation features increasing CLI usability
  • Interactive, context-sensitive Help, providing two levels of help for CLI commands, keywords, and variables

For more detailed information, reference Command Line Interface Overview chapter in the System Administration and Configuration Reference.

Web Element Manager Application

The Web Element Manager is a client-server application providing complete element management of the system. The UNIX-based server application works with clients using virtually any Java-enabled web browser to remotely manage the network elements within the system using the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) standard. The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol can be used to encrypt management data traffic between the client and the server. The following figure shows the Web Element Manager topology window:


Figure 3. WEM Topology

In addition to its element management capabilities, the Web Element Manager can be integrated with higher-layer network, service, and business management applications using its northbound CORBA interface.

For more information on Web Element Manager application, refer Web Element Manager Overview section.