Policy-based management for IP networks

Internet protocol (IP) networks have become powerful business fools. We hav e entered an age in which enterprises consider their networks to be as impo rtant as conventional utilities such as electricity and the telephone. The unparalleled and rapid ascent of the IP network to the status of a crucial business resource has resulted in an ad hoc approach to the development of networking systems. Network management is piecemeal at best, and interopera bility often remains a significant challenge. As networks become more compl ex, we are beginning to see that simplifying network management is the gati ng factor to the growth of networks. This paper explores the historical app roach to managing a network infrastructure, outlines current industry direc tion, and contrasts conventional approaches with a new, more cohesive appro ach that turns networks into unified, cooperative systems delivering servic es in a controlled and predictable manner.