A management methodology and system for complex telematic infrastructures

A network infrastructure has to be robust, redundant, resilient to failures, with a good level of scalability and flexibility to handle the increasing data traffic that research activities generate. It has also to ensure a good level of data security and integrity, a fundamental requirement for the trust of users. One of the basic prerequisites to obtain this result is the complete knowledge of the network to manage. This document presents a methodology for the management of wide access networks infrastructures. It starts with a brief explanation of the main network components that should be taken into consideration in an access network, classifying them by type and purpose, and it also defines a possible interaction schema between these components in order to have a better management system. Finally, as an example of implementation of the proposed methodology, it describes the software developed for the management of the structured cabling and active devices of the Pisa Research Area campus network.