Design for scalable network management systems

Abstract

A system and methodology for building highly scalable Network Management Systems (NMS)s for the management of large voice and data networks is provided. The NMS of the present invention is designed to manage a plurality of network elements communicating through network controlled links. The elements are combined into management groups of no more than n elements. A first functional subsystem controls and manages the communication functions associated with a first group of elements. Each function or process inside the subsystem is guaranteed to communicate with only one instance of every other type of process or function. As additional network elements are added to the system, additional management groups are also added, one functional subsystem for every management group of elements. The plurality of other functional subsystems are substantially the same as the first functional subsystem. Limiting the management process to intra-subgroup communications greatly simplifies expansion of the system. When a total of m management groups exist, at least (m−1) functional subsystems are replicated from the first NMS subsystem. Thus, the network is scaled up by using size-limited subsystems.