An XML-Seamless Policy Based Management Framework

Abstract

The great variety of policy representation forms currently existing (e.g., LDAP schemas, PIBs, MIBs, plain text, etc.) is leading to interoperability and manageability problems, mainly in inter-domain management environments, but also between the elements (i.e., PMTs, PDPs, and PEPs) dealing with and exchanging policies inside one particular management domain. The use of XML technologies provides a solution to this important limitation. This paper describes the seamless integration of XML technologies in a policy-based management framework. It includes a proposal for an XML-based management architecture, the definition of an XML PIB (Policy Information Base) and a new Java COPS (Common Open Policy Service) implementation supporting both XML-encoding and BER-encoding of the policy data exchanged between PDP servers and PEP clients. It also analyses the main techniques used to ensure the provision of security services to the management of policies.