Bunyip - Graphical Editor for an LDAP Network Information Repository

Student: Michael Luetchford

Supervisor: Daniel Bradley

Category: Engineering Thesis Project - Software

Computer network infrastructure and network security are major issues in the current corporate world. Bunyip is a graphical editor that allows network administrators to visualise network topology and display where services, such as HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) and FTP (File Transfer Protocol), are offered. It allows editing of network topology and the addition, modification or removal of network components such as hosts and switches. Bunyip also allows administrators to determine if networks are internal or external to a security zone such as a firewall and supports the allocation of subnets and domains.

Bunyip has been specifically designed to assist the Distributed Systems Technology Centre with its Mesmerize project. This project concerns holistic network management and Bunyip assists this project by providing useful visualisation of the network information repository. Bunyip is designed to access a LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) directory that implements the network information repository for the Mesmerize project. It then utilises this information to provide a graphical editor for the repository. Multiple layout options for repository information are available through an automatic layout facility.

The Bunyip graphical editor can assist with the configuration of networks, ensuring that network architectures such as bastion hosts and demilitarised zones are correct. Bunyip provides network architectural information through its graphical interface offering a simple and accurate picture of the network topology.

Thesis Document (PDF)

Poster Presentation (PDF)