Re: Whitepaper on XML-based Network Management

[Jon Saperia <saperia@jdscons.com>]

Your comments remind me of some early questions I had, that I am not
sure were answered. I like the idea of a standard representation of a
'system' configuration in something like XML. Notice that I said system
rather than router even though I know that is beyond the scope of this
list.

What does concern me is that even if we restrict our focus to routers,
and even a single router vendor at that, the issue is that the transport
- how we get the configuration data to the system is not as important
(for this disucssion) as the final 'readable' form on the box. All of
that is not quite as important as the relationship of that information
to counter and accounting information which will be used for performance
fault and accounting so that bills can be generated to keep everyone in
business. If you wish to restrict the scope to those devices that do
ONLY routing that is fine and my comments may not be a bit less
important.

/jon
> > Hi Phil,
> > 
> > I like where this is going. A few comments:
> > 
> > On Sat, Jul 28, 2001 at 02:57:14AM -0400, Phil Shafer wrote:
> > > 3.3. Access Mechanisms
> > > 
> > >    The JUNOScript API needs only a connection-oriented data path, making
> > >    it suitable for a number of transport protocols. An ssh, telnet, or
> > >    serial console connection can easily carry a JUNOScript session. Once
> > >    a connection is established, the client uses the 'junoscript' command
> > >    to convert the CLI login into a JUNOScript session.  The client and
> > >    server exchange the initial handshake described above, after which
> > >    further communications are in JUNOScript RPCs.
> > 
> > - rather than "junoscript" can it be something vendor/product neutral?
> > "xmlscript"?
> > 
> > - will the native configuration be stored in XML too? So restoring a failed
> > machine can simply be copying the XML plaintext config to a new flash card and
> > inserting it into a new unit?
> > 
> > - Ideally vendors could share a standard DTD/Schema for various subsystems of
> > their products, ie. an Interfaces DTD which is a superset of IF-MIB but the
> > tables are more structured. Do you have a JUNOScript DTD in mind/implemented?
> 
> i've been watching this thread and wondering when someone was going to
> say "wait, i have multiple router vendors in my network" or "wait, i
> have many different *types* of network elements in my network
> (routers, switches, wdm systems, etc).  i guess i should have just
> said it :)
> 
> i've been hoping for an xml framework along the lines of what carl
> malamud and marshall rose started at www.invisibleworlds.net.   i
> would like to see a generic framework that i can apply to more than
> just routers.
> 
> ideally, i think we could all benefit from a vendor-neutral xml api
> "thing" that we can customize within our own organizations.
> 
> -b
> 
> 

Thanks,
/jon
--

Jon Saperia		     saperia@jdscons.com
			     Phone: 617-744-1079
			     Fax:   617-249-0874
			     http://www.jdscons.com/