Application framework for rapid agent development

Network management usually employs 2- or 3-tier, sometimes, n-tier client-server architectures. The n/sup th/ tier, counting from the user side, often is implemented as an SNMP agent. The agent developer (like any server developer) has to deal with a suite of generic middleware issues: naming, location, persistency, referential integrity. The sheer number of ATM and network management standards and the rate of changes in this area indicates that some kind of layered architecture, some level of isolation is a requirement. This paper presents one approach to rapid agent development, the approach which employs code generation and usage of predefined C++ classes. While SNMP manipulates fine-grained MIB attributes, the agent developer "thinks" objects and is probably willing to create abstractions of equipment components and modules (hubs, modems, switches, ATM virtual circuits, ISDN connections, ports, services, software components) in a form of application objects and relationships.