How Is It Different?

Firstly, network management, under the current paradigm, is performed by management applications. These management applications are aided by agents. The agents act as interpreters and filters, sending commands to the network elements they control and collecting information about them. They are usually situated near the network elements they control, which means that these agents are limited in nature, as they contain little management intelligence and can only perform basic network management operations.

Secondly, and from a wider perspective, existing system, application, and network management systems are implemented with diverse protocols and technologies. Developers must choose a single management technology for a portion of the target market. In some cases, developers may implement multiple management technologies, in order to provide more complete coverage of their potential markets. Frequently, developers choose not to implement any management technology, in order not to be encumbered in the market.

The Java Dynamic Management Kit solves both of these problems. It is a single suite of products offering a uniform instrumentation for managing system, application, and network management systems. It is also a key enabling technology for the service-driven network. The service-driven network is a new approach to the provision of network computing that concentrates on the services you want to provide. These services range from the low-level services that manage relationships between networked devices to the value-added services you provide to end-users. These services drive your network. With the Java Dynamic Management Kit, services are incorporated directly into agents. Agents are granted permission to perform management tasks themselves, enabling management intelligence to be distributed throughout the whole network.

Thus, the Java Dynamic Management Kit opens the door to new types of lightweight, flexible management applications that can be created, deployed, enhanced or deleted in real time.