RODM: A control information base

Operational management of computers and computer networks was formerly performed exclusively by an operator or a team of operators equipped only with consoles for the display of status messages. Each system component independently determined its own set of such messages, identifying conditions needing attention. To meet future challenges, however, a structured approach to systems and network management and associated automation will be necessary. The amount and complexity of the status information needed for control and coordination will make it unlikely that operators will be able to keep up with such needs unaided. This control information must be made available to a family of systems and network management applications (including operator display programs). The NetView® Resource Object Data Manager (RODM) is designed to facilitate the storage and retrieval of control information. It provides services for defining a structured data model of a computer system. The control information is not kept simply in the form of messages, but instead the data are organized into units called objects. This allows the model to effectively capture interrelationships and dependencies as well as status information.