Information model

An information model is in information technology, an abstract representation of objects and their properties and relations, and the actions they can perform, and the operations that can be performed with them. The information model is therefore a superset of the data model in which ( strictly speaking ) no model elements for the representation of actions and operations exist. In everyday parlance, however, no clear distinction between information and data model is often made ​​and the terms are used interchangeably.

Information models in telecommunications

Information models are used in the management of IT systems and telecommunications networks. Management objects are, for example, devices such as routers, hubs, or their plug-in cards or ports on those cards in these applications. With the help of this information model, the networks are monitored, configured and controlled by the network management from a distance. The information models be produced as defined by the concept that they do not require any particular implementation: this is achieved by creating a more uniform view on different devices of the same type is independent of vendor specific implementations possible.

Information models used for modeling real devices usually initially a functional model, the management areas, the

• Errors and faults ( fault management)
• Configuration ( configuration management )
• Accounting ( accounting management)
• Quality and performance ( performance management )
• Security (security management)

Includes. Based on this management objects defined, which in turn are assigned to attributes. The first letters of the labels mean FCAPS, which is a common abbreviation for the tasks of the functional model.

Information models exist in real implementations of a Management Information Base ( MIB), which maps the set of all data and information in a data structure, and a management protocol such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

From the Distributed Management Task Force is a standardized set of information models under the name Common Information Model was published.