Semantic Network Monitoring and Control over Heterogeneous Network Models and Protocols^,

Abstract

To accommodate the proliferation of heterogeneous network models and protocols we propose the use of semantic technologies to enable an abstract treatment of networks. Network adapters are employed to lift network specific data into a semantic representation that is grounded in an upper level “NetCore” ontology. Semantic reasoning integrates the disparate network models and protocols into a common RDF-based data model that network applications can be written against without requiring intimate knowledge of the various low level-network details. The system permits the automatic discovery of new devices, the monitoring of device state and the invocation of device actions in a generic fashion that works across network types, including non-telecommunication networks such as social networks. A prototype system called SNoMAC is described that employs the proposed approach operating over UPnP, TR-069 and SIXTH network models and protocols. A major benefit of this approach is that the addition of new models/protocols requires relatively little effort and merely involves the development of a new network adapter based on an ontology grounded in NetCore.

This work was partly funded by the Industrial Development Authority of Ireland.

This work was partly funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) under grant 07/CE/I1147.