傳統的網路管理作業多半是以client/server主從式架構來進行，但其效率及擴充性卻有所限制。由於網路架構日趨龐大，網路應用及需求不斷更新，如何快速更新、散播新的政策或機制將是即將面臨的問題。未來的網路管理系統必須以彈性、分散、主動、智慧、效率為主要的規劃考量，進而達到更具有效率及彈性的管理。 本論文研發並實作一應用多重移動式代理人之網路管理系統（Web-based Network Management Systems with Multiple Mobile Agents Support，簡稱WNMS/MMA），將各個網路管理功能整合至多個移動式代理人（mobile agent）中，以達成可靠且具有效率的網路管理環境。本系統以Web為介面，提供了網路拓撲狀況顯示、ATM虛擬通道之自動探索，以及移動式代理人之派送功能。 本系統以移動式代理人為基礎，提供智慧且有效率的管理功能，移動式代理人進行工作期間，並不會在網路中建立一專屬連線，而是將被賦予的工作攜帶至遠端的信賴主機（trusted host）上執行，由於移動式代理人之特性，將可以節省網路頻寬，並且保證工作之持續進行，不因網路斷線或不穩定等問題而被中止。此外，為避免在管理過程中可能遭遇的安全性問題，本論文採用信賴主機之機制及網路安全技術來因應。移動式代理人攜帶工作之特性，在現有的網路下即可發展多樣化的網路服務，而不需要持續性的網路連線或通訊協定，網路服務之發展也因此而更富有彈性。 Traditional network management systems are based on the centralized client/server architecture, and their flexibility and efficiency are limited as the complexity of the network increases. Therefore, the network management systems must be more distributed, flexible, efficient, active and intelligent. A Web-based Network Management System with Multiple Mobile agents Support (WNMS/MMA) is proposed in the thesis to provide an efficient and intelligent management interface for managing networks. The mobile agent technologies are applied in the WNMS/MMA to develop multiple mobile agents with various functions for network management. A Web interface is designed to provide following features: (1) graphical network topology and related information display, (2) ATM permanent virtual circuit (PVC) auto discovery, and (3) a mobile agent dispatching and messaging interface. A mobile agent could do the works remotely without permanent connections, so as to overcome network latency, and save the network bandwidth. When management policies are modified, the mobile agents carrying those policies are easily to be exchanged to support various functions. In the proposed system, each GigaPOP has its own trusted host with mobile agent system to provide an execution environment for executing the works carried by mobile agents. In order to enhance the security of the system, the trusted hosts can communicate with the corresponding GigaPOPs by network security technologies.
