Tools for Object-Based Integrated Administrative Systems

TOBIAS - 2294

Keywords system management tools, object-oriented models, heterogeneous networks, distributed systems

Start Date: 20-MAR-89 / Duration: 40 months

[ contact / participants ]

Objectives and Approach

System complexity is growing and hence LAN and WAN connections are being used more intensively: this increased complexity needs support. The TOBIAS project aimed to develop a common methodology based on an object-oriented model and to define and implement a workbench to support system and management activities.

The TOBIAS workbench is a set of integrated and portable tools aimed at helping and simplifying the administration of a large number of heterogeneous machines and networks. The use of an object-oriented approach allows a uniform description, in abstract terms, of facilities, equipment, operations and human-machine interactions without specifying organisational solution or connectivity details. In addition, although international standards are still evolving in this field, their emerging definitions are being used as guidelines in the development of the TOBIAS model.

TOBIAS is implemented on top of the Unix and PCTE systems, but is not dependent on these environments and is open to integration with existing commercial products. It is envisaged that considerable efficiency improvements will be achieved by using TOBIAS system administrators to deal with complex distributed systems, and that TOBIAS will also enhance the overall dependability of system management processes. The system management domain represents a significant market, as yet completely unexplored. In TOBIAS, new and advanced technologies (eg the objected-oriented approach, graphics facilities, etc) are used to increase the capacity of system managers to manage and control the hardware and software components of hundreds of interconnected computers.

The results of the work lead also to:

• better use of available computing resources
• reductions in system administration time and management costs, leading to increased competitiveness
• reductions in the skill and experience required of the system manager, due to the use of a uniform, platform-independent user interface.

Exploitation

Industrial exploitation takes the form of:

• technology transfer (source and documentation licences)
• a well-defined product running on Unix and PCTE and capable of being ported to other operating systems
• the definition of guidelines for the customisation of the TOBIAS toolkit
• the distribution of the first release binary version.

CONTACT POINT

Mr Livio Stefanelli
RIGEL ENGINEERING SA
Avenue Rogier 385
B - 1030 BRUXELLES
tel: + 32/ 2-7355571
fax: + 32/ 2-7348187

Participants

RIGEL ENGINEERING SA - B - C
GIE-EMERAUDE - F - P
PLANET SA - GR - P
UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE - UK - P
INTRASOFT SA - GR - P

TOBIAS - 2294, December 1993

please address enquiries to the ESPRIT Information Desk

html version of synopsis by Nick Cook