Autonomic Networks - Autonomic Communication

By Wedge Greene and Barbara Lancaster

At its core, Autonomic Networks change our whole concept of ‘what is a network’, ‘where are the corporate boundaries’, and ‘what is network and service management’ - radically. Some of these principles are so compelling (such as discovery and self-configuration) that we are implementing them today even as our incomplete understanding of them improves year over year. But to truly understand and manage our existing and future networks, we need to see them as complex, organized, evolving systems and develop a ‘top down’ approach to controlling the transition of the existing network toward more autonomics.

To make this practical concept a reality, we need (1) a well understood picture of how things actually work, (2) a set of clearly explicated goals, and (3) a set of plans and processes which provide for a practical transition from what we have to what we can see will be better - this is the epistle of the authors. This article also provides a summary of the key groups and initiatives currently addressing Autonomic Networks and Autonomic Communications.

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[To read the entire article, please go to Pipeline Publishing.]

(see also Part 2: Self-* Networks)

Wedge Greene is a consultant for LTC International.