Designing and implementing a scalable, secure network using expert systems
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Date
2007
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Abstract
The area of network design has been viewed as an important area of computer networking installation over time. A number of paradigms have been proposed, including top-down methodologies, the three-layer architecture. The often neglected aspect of network design is the availability of expertise
A number of assertions both from literature and from questionnaire responses have been made about the availability of expertise. Some schools of thought state that the number of expertise available for network design has shrunk in proportion to the number of networks that need to be designed. It is evident from the many areas that are being moved onto the platform of networking that it is the demand for areas where networks are needed that has overtaken expertise available to both design and maintain them. Other schools of thought state that the number of networks that have been put up have not measured up to standards that any network professional can adequately manage. They attribute this to a lack of design plans, road map for the network, and an adequate understanding of the goals that an enterprise has enlisted the network for
It was the desire of this dissertation to examine the mitigation of statements such as these. The middle road envisaged in addressing this was seen to be the Expert Systems' deployment in the area of networking covering the design phase of networking, among other areas. In addressing this, the choice of the expert system was also key, as was the choice of the expertise that provided the processes to be enlisted by the expert system. An Expert system known as the C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) had been chosen for the purpose of demonstrating the development of an expert system that addresses network design. Among the reasons for its choice are that it is a freely available tool, and it is offers forward-chaining which is appropriate for the rules developed from the networking environment used. It was robust enough to offer the flexibility that allowed other programming environments to be used for the development of either interfaces, or sub-components to it. The predominant development program that has produced CLIPS is the C Language, which is a universally used and flexible programming language.
Description
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science
Keywords
Expert systems, Computer science, CLPIS(Computer Program Language)