Generally speaking, network management refers to the tasks associated with running a network, along with the software, tools, and technology required to support these tasks. One major part of running a network is to monitor the devices on it in order to know
what is happening.
One definition of network management from the ISO Telecommunications Management Network model and framework for network management is known as FCAPS. It divides network management into five disciplines: Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security. Most network management tools can be assigned to one of these disciplines and, out of the box, Cacti is generally more of a performance measurement tool than a management tool, but it can be enhanced to also perform additional tasks.
Written for beginners to Cacti, this book contains step-by-step instructions and hands-on tutorials for network operators to learn how to implement and use the core Cacti functions. The book is designed in such a way that you can explore it chapter-by-chapter or skip any chapter without missing a beat. If you are a network operator and want to use Cacti for implementing performance measurement for trending, troubleshooting, and reporting purposes, then this book is for you. You only need to know the basics of network management and SNMP.