Northbound Interface (NBI)

Definition - What does Northbound Interface (NBI) mean?

A northbound interface (NBI) is the interface to a component of higher function or level layer. The
lower layer's NBI links to the higher layer's southbound interface (SBI).
In an architectural overview, a NBI is drawn on the top portion of the component or layer in question
and can be thought of as flowing upward, while a SBI is drawn at the bottom, symbolizing a
downward flow.

Techopedia explains Northbound Interface (NBI)

A NBI is an output-oriented interface that is usually found in carrier-grade networks and
telecommunications network elements. An example of a NBI implementation is a device that only
sends SYSLOG messages and cannot be manipulated to take any kind of input.
In addition, the language and protocols commonly used for these interfaces are Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) and Transaction Language 1 (TL1). The NBI complies with several
standards within the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) or TM Forum (TMF)
series; these are used mostly for alarm, performance, inventory, provisioning, configuration and
security related information of the network elements that are passed or forwarded to a higher level
management system known as Operational Support System (OSS).
Northbound integration is usually implemented through the following interfaces:

Extensible Markup Language (XML)

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

SNMP, System Log (SYSLOG). Terminal Access Controller Access Control System
(TACACS) and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)

5.23.1 NMS JMX Agent - Introduction

Overview

Architecture of NMS JMX Agent

Working of NMS JMX Agent

Capabilities of NMS JMX Agent

JMX Specifications

Overview
For any proper management structure, a defined communication channel is required between the High
Level and Low Level Managers. Here, the NMS acts as the Higher Level Manager and the EMS acts as
the Lower Level Manager.

Note: The communication between the NMS and the EMS is called Northbound Communication. Like any
other communication between devices, this communication is also effected by protocols like SNMP,
HTTP/HTML, RMI, CORBA, TL1, etc,.

The communication between the NMS and the EMS is brought into reality through an Interface called
the NMS JMX Agent. It is so named, as it is developed based on JMX Specifications, where JMX stands
for Java Management Extensions. The main function of NMS JMX Agent, is to facilitate the easy transfer
of information pertaining to the NEs managed by a specific EMS to its corresponding High Level
Manager.

Fig.1 NMS JMX Agent in NMS and EMS Hierarchy

Explanation for Fig.1

This diagram explains the position NMS JMX Agent occupies in the NMS-EMS Hierarchy. NMS acts as
the Higher Level Manager. Then NMS can manage any number of EMSs'. The EMS in turn manages a
number of Network Elements (NE). Here the NMS JMX Agent acts as the interface between NMS and
EMS and aids in Northbound Communication.

Architecture of NMS JMX Agent

The NMS JMX Agent consists of a MBean server, a set of MBeans representing managed resources, and
at least one or more protocol adaptors or connectors.
The MBean server is a registry for MBeans in the NMS JMX Agent. The MBean server is the component
which provides the services, and allows the manipulation of MBeans. All management operations
performed on the MBeans are done through Java technology-based interfaces on the MBean server.
Protocol adaptors and connectors let management applications access a JMX agent and manipulate the
MBeans contained in the MBean Server. Protocol adaptors give a representation of the MBeans directly
in another protocol, such as HTML or SNMP.
The protocols supported by the NMS JMX Agent are:

SNMP

CORBA

RMI

HTTP/HTML

TL1

Fig.2 NMS JMX Agent Architecture

Explanation for Fig.2

The NMS JMX Agent is connected to the Management Applications through adaptors. Each protocol
provides its own protocol adaptors. If the communication between NMS and EMS is in TL1 protocol, a
TL1 Adaptor is plugged in. You can view the Management Information via the MIB Browser, RMI
Applications, TL1 Browser, Web Browser and CORBA Client for

Working of NMS JMX Agent

NMS can manage a number of EMSs' through the NMS JMX Agent. The communication between the
Higher Level Manager and the NMS JMX Agent can be through different protocols. The protocols
supported are SNMP, RMI, TL1, HTTP and CORBA. The Higher Level Manager queries the NMS JMX
Agent on details about the EMSs' being managed. The NMS JMX Agent collects the information from the
Lower Level Managers and returns them to the Higher Level Manager. The NMS JMX Agent is also
capable of sending independent notifications to the Higher Level Manager.

Fig.3 Functioning of NMS JMX Agent

Explanation for Fig.3
Starting from the right hand side of the diagram, EMS is used to manage a number of Network
Elements. There can be any number of EMSs'. The NMS JMX Agent which acts as the interface,
accesses the EMS through NMS API and collects the details for which query has been sent from the
NMS. The NMS manages a number of EMSs'. The NMS sends queries to the NMS JMX Agent to get
details about the EMSs'. Autonomous Notifications are also sent out by the NMS JMX Agent to the
Higher Level Manager regarding the Network Element.

Capabilities of NMS JMX Agent

The capabilities of NMS JMX Agent are listed here:

Provides details like EMS Host name, Total Memory, Free Memory etc,. These details are got by
the NMS by querying the EMS through the NMS JMX Agent

Provides access to the data stored in the database

Enables NMS runtime configurations, for e.g., registering as a sub agent, registering for proxy
service etc.,

Sends autonomous notifications to the High Level Manager regarding the NE

Enables the persistence of autonomous notifications

Can upload or download files using TFTP

Can register a number of agents with itself as sub-agents

The EMS responds to the queries of the NMS through the NMS JMX Agent. It should be remembered
that the NMS JMX Agent can either perform the query on the NE and get the details or check the
database of the particular NE and provide responses. The protocol involved sending a response to the
NMS, through the NMS JMX Agent is in par with the protocol of the query received.

JMX Specifications
The Java Management Extensions (JMX) Specifications define the architecture, design patterns, APIs
and services for application and network management in Java programming language. The major benefit

of this specification is that it provides a way to use common instrumentation on the agent and support
multiple protocols for management. Since JMX instrumentation is independent of the management
infrastructure, the agent developer is freed from the details of each management protocol.
The major advantages in using the JMX Specifications to develop the JMX Agent are listed below:

Enables the management of Java Applications without heavy investment

Provides a scalable management architecture

Integrates existing management solutions

Leverages existing standard Java Technologies

Provides Protocol Independence

Provides Platform Independence

The JMX architecture is divided into three levels:

Instrumentation level

Agent level

Distributed services level

The instrumentation level of the JMX specification defines how to instrument resources in the Java
programming language so that they can be managed. These resources developed are called Java
Manageable Resources.
The Java objects which implement the resources and their instrumentation are called Managed Beans, or
MBeans in short. MBeans must follow the design patterns and interfaces defined in this part of the
specification. This ensures that all MBeans provide the instrumentation of managed resources in a
standardized way.
The NMS JMX Agent uses Model MBeans. The Model MBeans are dynamic MBeans that are fully
configurable and self described at run-time; they provide a generic MBean class with default behavior for
dynamic instrumentation of resources.
As of now the NMS JMX Agent has achieved the support of five main protocols. They are SNMP,
CORBA, RMI, HTTP/HTML and TL1.
For more information on the JMX specification, please
visit http://java.sun.com/products/JavaManagement/wp.

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