Title: Lab Exercise Thirteen
Course: CNT 2001 Computer Networks & Communications > Section: Module 13 Network Management

Create a short essay (1 to 3 pages) that examines an open source Network Monitoring/Management System (NMS).  A NMS includes an entire suite of monitoring and management tools, including a management console with a dashboard where the network administrators can see a representation of the state of the network.  A NMS will include “agents” that are deployed on the various nodes and network components that are being monitored, and these agents are in communication with the management console.  A NMS will have some means of alerting the network administrators of problems and exception events.

In your examination and analysis of an open source NMS, discuss:

- What features does it offer?
- What can it monitor?
- What operating systems does it run on (usually either Linux and/or Windows)?
- What dependencies does it have (meaning, what is required for it to run)?
- What training and support is available (if any)?

You will need to do some in depth research to complete this assignment.  Do not simply replicate some marketing description that is visible on the Internet.  You can get started by looking at some popular open source NMS systems such as Zabbix, Big Brother, Open NMS and Nagios.

Include your references at the end of your essay.