This paper proposes a CORBA-based framework for managing the network state evolution over time. This framework is based on the concept of CORBA temporal agents, capable of managing the past and current behavior of network resources. Managed objects use specific time attributes for representing how their values are evolving in time. Moreover, specially designed operations (services) enable users to exploit the temporal dimension of management information in order to understand the past, control the present, and thus even predict the future of managed objects. The management environment is designed in order to provide coexistence and interoperability with existing management platforms.

Due to unexpected network interconnection growth, the security of technological and information infrastructures is becoming difficult to be managed and controlled. In addition, security is becoming more and more crucial for an organisation's information systems operation. The management of an organisation has to establish rules and regulations in order to face the threats that its information systems face. The network manager is obliged to enforce the regulations that senior management addresses. We propose a framework that a network manager could use in order to effectively enforce security policies. In addition, we present a scalable security management architecture suitable for TCP/IP networks. The communication of systems' logical components is based on the use of the SNMP protocol. Finally, the system includes facilities for collecting and efficiently storing raw and aggregate historical security management information in a temporal database for off-line analysis.

We propose an information model and a number of services for managing the security of TCP/IP networks. More precisely, we identify a number of managed objects included in SNMP management information base (MIBs) that are important for security management and we propose a temporal network management model for the historical representation of the security management information. This model incorporates the temporal dimension in the management information model proposed by the Internet Engineering Task Force. Moreover, we define a number of services for the monitoring, storage, capitalisation and analysis of the historical security management information.

This paper presents a prototype for management services which enables the performance monitoring and control of resources in a TCP/IP network. A time reference information model required to accomplish the different needs of performance management functions, is also described. This temporal model can be used not only to provide a diachronic view of the management information, but also to define a set of measures needed to observe the performance of network elements. The performance management application is implemented using a distributed architecture. It provides facilities to dynamically create aggregate managed objects, to collect the management information and to store the collected data in a database. The database schema is designed to follow the proposed time reference information model and also the structure of the MIB. Finally, the architecture of the prototype and the supported facilities are also illustrated in this paper.