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Nestor: Network Engineering System for TOpology and Requirements
Author(s) -
Harris James B.,
Humes Michael W.,
Mellichamp Joseph M.,
Kwon OJoung
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
expert systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.365
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1468-0394
pISSN - 0266-4720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0394.1989.tb00357.x
Subject(s) - computer science , network topology , network packet , network engineering , network management , network planning and design , network simulation , network architecture , computer network , software engineering
Many large organizations today have an interest in communications networks either as users of public networks or as operators of their own private networks. The environment in which networks operate is extremely complex and very dynamic. Users are becoming more sophisticated, hence, their demands for network services are increasing in complexity. The network technology is changing at an incredible rate, and there is a very large number of hardware and software vendors selling network products and services. In such an environment, network management is of vital importance, yet it is exceedingly difficult to accomplish effectively. Most organizations are finding that there is little available in the market in the way of comprehensive systems which address the complex problems encountered in planning and engineering communications networks. The purpose of this paper is to describe a development effort which treats one important aspect of network design—that of engineering changes in a network subsequent to the initial design. The result of this research is an expert system called Nestor (Network Engineering System for TOpology and Requirements) which is being used by AT&T network engineers to respond to user change requests for a large packet switching network—thirty network switches, fifty mainframe computers, and one hundred and forty thousand terminals and printers. Estimates based on initial experience with the system are that throughput of the engineering group will increase by 500% for network change requests assigned to Nestor.