Resumen
Network management systems are used to control and monitor the components of distributed systems like communication networks, where many different subsystems need to collaborate to offer a service. Communication networks are large dynamic systems, comprising parts from various vendors and evolving over time, with parts getting grafted on and others being removed. Network management is a challenging task that usually requires remote access to widely distributed information coming from various sources. Operations have to be performed on numerous system components. Moreover, the access interface to the components can vary greatly, depending on their nature, type and manufacturer. A network management interface (NMI) is the middle layer of a network management system, situated between the high-level control processes and the low-level components of the system. The lower layers, which usually depend heavily on the execution platform at hand, are not part of the NMI. International standardization bodies have produced various tools for defining network management systems and their NMIs.