"Open Systems Management Overview,"
Jonathan Gossels and Brad C. Johnson, SystemExperts Corporation, 1995, 23 pp.

This abstract is not for redistribution, any use of it must include any and all reference (bibliography) information, and all rights are owned by SystemExperts Corporation.

Abstract

The computing industry is clearly entrenched in the Open Systems era, which brings with it a new array of systems management options. Administrators who have had responsibility for mainframe environments welcome the flexibility these latest systems provide for selecting management and strategies and applications and for sharing data. This versatility also allows companies to more cost effectively allocate staff and computing resources.

Unfortunately, the new technologies also demand that companies take on more responsibility for planning their computing environments that they have had to previously. By developing partnerships with their application providers, however, companies can devise integration plans to suit their special business needs and reap the benefits Open Systems provide.

This paper will walk through practical issues that must be addressed developing a systems management plan. In particular, it will review:

• The distinct viewpoints of the strategist, planner, and implementor
• The overall characteristics of Open Systems and the management of these systems
• The general characteristics of systems management applications
• The typical systems management portfolio
• The expected benefits and burdens of Open Systems applications

Within each section, particularly relevant integration topics are highlighted with "Risk Point" and "Risk Assessment" paragraphs. The "Risk Point" text describes the general benefits or pitfalls of the referenced topic. The "Risk Assessment" text describes how one would critique this issue.

Table of Contents

• Open Systems Management Overview
• The Open Systems Era
• Methodology Framework
  • Strategist Viewpoint
  • Planner Viewpoint
  • Implementor Viewpoint
• A Closer Look at Open Systems
• Open Systems Management
  • Network and Systems Management
  • Remote Management and Distributed Management
• Characteristics of Systems Management Applications
• Management Areas
• Open Systems Benefits and Burdens
• Conclusion