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Configuration Management
IACT 418/918 Autumn 2005
Gene Awyzio
SITACS University of Wollongong
Overview
• Configuration Definitions
– OED: Arrangement of parts or elements in a particular form or
figure
– OED: The way the constituent parts of a computer system
are chosen or interconnected in order to suit it for a particular
task or use; the units or devices required for this
– Websters: 1 a : relative arrangement of parts or elements: as
• (1) : Shape
• (2) : functional arrangement <a small business computer system
in its simplest configuration>
– Webster: 1 b : something (as a figure, contour, pattern, or
apparatus) that results from a particular arrangement of parts
or components
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Overview
• Configuration Management is the process of
– Obtaining data from the network
– Using that data to manage the setup of all network devices
• Involves
– Gathering information about the current configuration of the
network
– Using that data to modify the network configuration of
devices
– Storing the data
– Maintaining an up-to-date inventory
– Producing reports on that data
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Benefits of the Configuration
Management Process
• Enhanced control over configuration of network
devices
– Rapid access to config data
• Speeds up re-configuration
• Examples:
– Configuration data holds the current setup of each device
– If you wanted to add more interfaces to the device you would
need to know
• Current number of interfaces in that device
• Network addresses assigned to those interfaces
– Config management would hold that data and enable rapid
access
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Benefits of the Configuration
Management Process
• Also assists in modification of network devices
– Remote deactivation etc
– Remote changes
• Inventory control can be used to
– Negotiate vendor contracts
– Examine vendor quality
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Accomplishing Configuration
Management
• Configuration Management steps
– Gathering information about the current
configuration of the network
– Using that data to modify the network
configuration of devices
– Storing the data
– Maintaining an up-to-date inventory
– Producing reports on that data
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Collecting Data Manually
• Obtaining data often begins with a manual
collection
– Need to record the devices
• Serial number
• Address assignment
– Store data in a spreadsheet, database etc
– This can be tedious and error prone for large
networks
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Collecting Data Manually
• Data can be collected automatically
– Using network management protocol
– Autodiscovery
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Autodiscovery
• Can be implemented using ICMP echo
(PING) to every possible address
– When device answers record details
– Advantage: will discover every working
device on network
– Disadvantage: wasted bandwidth and time
querying non-existent devices
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Autodiscovery
• Could also find one device and then query it
to discover what other devices it has
communicated with recently
– All network devices discovered in a breadth first
search manner
– Advantage: works quickly
– Disadvantage: May fail to find a device that has not
communicated with the network recently
• Can also help produce a graphical map of the
current network
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Autodiscovery
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Autodiscovery
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Modifying data
• Once configuration management information has
been collected it will usually need to be updated and
maintained
– With a 5000 node network even if 1% of those machines
required a change once a week that would be  50 changes
per week
• Addresses are only ONE of the parameters that need
to be tracked
• Manual system are inefficient and error prone
– What happens if an engineer forgets to record the changes
– Thames vs Thomas
• Configuration management systems can record these
changes automatically
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Storing Data
• Configuration management should also
provide information storage
– Centralised storage provide the network
engineer with efficent access to
configuration data
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Storing Data
• Currently a DBMS is considered the most efficient
manner to store this data
– Advantages
• Enables large amounts of data to be stored on a single
computer
• Fast searching
• Automatic sorting of data
• Restoration of lost data
• Data relationships
– Disadvantages
• Complex administration procedures
• May us its own language
• Tends to be platform or OS specific (lack of portability)
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Configuration Management on
a Network Management System
• Simple
– Provide central storage of network
information
• Network addresses
• Serial numbers
• Physical location
– Include an autodiscovery device for finding
all devices on network
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Configuration Management on
a Network Management System
• More Complex
– Automatic comparison of current to stored
configuration
• Automatic update???
– Automapping of network
– Graphical display of configurations
• Physical
• Logical
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Configuration Management on a
Network Management System
• Advanced
– Use a relational database
– Automatic generation of reports
• Inventory reports
• Change reports
• Vendor control reports
• Warranty reports
• Repair reports
– Provide for evaluation
• Duplication of addresses
• Duplication of function
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Generating Configuration
Reports
• Reports should typically include
– For devices
• Name
• Network address
• Serial number
• Manufacturer
• Operating system
• Local person responsible
• Could also list
– Circuit numbers
– Vendor contact name
– Physical location
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Generating Configuration
Reports
• Reports should typically include
– Summary of recent changes
• Listed by category
• Include
– Who made the changes
– When changes were made
• Categories could include
– New devices
– Replaced devices
– Modified devices
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Generating Configuration
Reports
• Reports should typically include
– Summary of network inventory
• All details from device report
• Length and type of warranty
• Complete upgrade history
• Service history …
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