An Open Secure Mobile Agent Framework for Systems Management [Vol. 7, No. 3, 1999]

An Open Secure Mobile Agent Framework for Systems Management

P. Bellavista
Dip. Elettronica Informatica e Sistemistica
University of Bologna
Viale Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, ITALY
Email: pbellavista_AT_deis.unibo.it

A. Corradi
Dip. Elettronica Informatica e Sistemistica
University of Bologna
Viale Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, ITALY
Email: acorradi_AT_deis.unibo.it

C. Stefanelli
Dip. di Ingegneria
University of Ferrara
Via Saragat 1, 44100 Ferrara, ITALY
Email: cstefanelli_AT_ing.unife.it

Abstract
The Mobile Agent (MA) technology is gaining importance in the distributed manage-ment of networks and services for heterogeneous environments. MA-based management systems could represent an interesting alternative to traditional tools built upon the client/server model, either SNMP- or CMIP-based. Two main requirements currently limit the acceptance of MA solutions for management: the need of interoperability and the request for security. Without security, management systems cannot suit global un-trusted environments, such as the Internet; without interoperability, they cannot interact with existing tools and legacy systems. The paper describes an MA-based management system with security and interoperability as the two main design objectives. It is an open management framework that grants interoperability by providing compliance with CORBA, the most diffused standard in the area of Object-Oriented components. In ad-dition, it is based on a thorough security model and provides a wide range of tools and mechanisms to build and enforce flexible security policies.

Keywords: Network and Systems Management, Web-based Management, Interoperability, Security, CORBA, MASIF, Java.

JNSM: Vol. 7, No. 3, 1999 An Open Secure Mobile Agent Framework for Systems Management [Vol. 7, No. 3, 1999]

NOTE: only abstract of paper available on-line; please contact your library or the authors for the full paper

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