ISO has defined five basic tasks related to network management :
Fault management: Detects the devices that present some kind of fault. Configuration management: Allows users to know, define and change remotely the configuration of any device.
Accounting resources: Holds the records of the resource usage in the WAN. Performance management: Monitors usage levels and sets alarms when a threshold has been surpassed. Security management: Detects suspicious traffic or users and generates alarms accordingly.
Source: Information Systems Audit and Control Association, Certified Information Systems Auditor 2002 review manual, Chapter 3: Technical Infrastructure and Operational Practices (page 137).