An implementation of gateway system for heterogeneous protocols over ATM network

We propose a gateway system for handling heterogeneous network management requests from diverse integrated network management systems (INMSs). The INMS requests management information for managing component resources through some management protocols such as the common management information protocol (CMIP) and the simple network management protocol (SNMP). The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has developed an ATM switching system as the main telecommunication node for the B-ISDN. To connect ATM switches with an integrated network management framework without any modification of the ATM switches, we have to construct a request handling agent system or a management request handling server on a proxy workstation. Our gateway system takes the role of a layered architecture and information handling, so that it covers diverse management requests and information conversion from ATM proprietary information to common management information. Based on these properties, the gateway system has the adaptability and extendibility for any type of management domain. We also introduce the initialization scheme of the heterogeneous request handling agent system which is another role of the gateway system.