 proliferation of "helper tables" in any modern network element MIB. Another characteristic difference between legacy and next-generation packet networks is the number of network elements involved. Next generation networks have wit- nessed a mushrooming of both numbers and types of network elements to support a variety of services. This effective collection and analysis of events from all these elements is another area where a trap-based notification model of SNMP is show- ing signs of strain. The discussion SO far was on why SNMP is not suitable for NGNM and the need for a new protocol. XML as a language very much suited for network man- agement because it helps to define the structure of management information in an easy and flexible manner. XML is able to reliably transfer management data over widely deployed protocols like HTTP and TCP. Using the defined structure, XML ensures interoperability among management applications from different vendors and facilitates better integration of management data from disparate sources by flexibly linking between a managed object and management application. XML- based protocols bring in the advantages of XML for information exchange and also address the challenges in current network management making it the preferred protocol for web-based management across multiple domains like enterprise, tele- com, and storage. 18.2 XMLP Overview Let us start with the XML protocol (XMLP) requirements from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). XMLP according to W3C is a lightweight protocol that is used for exchanging structured management information in a distributed environment. The key advantages of using XML protocol are: Usage of XML for information exchange, which brings with it a wealth of readily available convertors, parsers, and other development and implementa- tion toolsets. XML protocol ensures that management information can be defined in an easy, flexible, and powerful manner. XMLP provides a message construct that can be exchanged over a variety of underlying protocols. Thi