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Chapter 12 SNMP
SNMP Overview
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) has gained the most extensive application on the
UDP/IP networks. SNMP provides a management frame to monitor and maintain the network
devices. It is used for automatically managing the various network devices no matter the physical
differences of the devices. Currently, the most network management systems are based on SNMP.
SNMP is simply designed and convenient for use with no need of complex fulfillment procedures
and too much network resources. With SNMP function enabled, network administrators can easily
monitor the network performance, detect the malfunctions and configure the network devices. In
the meantime, they can locate faults promptly and implement the fault diagnosis, capacity planning
and report generating.
SNMP Management Frame
SNMP management frame includes three network elements: SNMP Management Station, SNMP
Agent and MIB (Management Information Base).
SNMP Management Station: SNMP Management Station is the workstation for running the
SNMP client program, providing a friendly management interface for the administrator to manage
the most network devices conveniently.
SNMP Agent: Agent is the server software operated on network devices with the responsibility of
receiving and processing the request packets from SNMP Management Station. In the meanwhile,
Agent will inform the SNMP Management Station of the events whenever the device status
changes or the device encounters any abnormalities such as device reboot.
MIB: MIB is the set of the managed objects. MIB defines a few attributes of the managed objects,
including the names, the access rights, and the data types. Every SNMP Agent has its own MIB.
The SNMP Management station can read/write the MIB objects basing on its management right.
SNMP Management Station is the manager of SNMP network while SNMP Agent is the managed
object. The information between SNMP Management Station and SNMP Agent are exchanged
through SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). The relationship among SNMP
Management Station, SNMP Agent and MIB is illustrated in the following figure.
Figure 12-1 Relationship among SNMP Network Elements
SNMP Versions
This switch supports SNMP v3, and is compatible with SNMP v1 and SNMP v2c. The SNMP
versions adopted by SNMP Management Station and SNMP Agent should be the same.
Otherwise, SNMP Management Station and SNMP Agent can not communicate with each other
normally. You can select the management mode with proper security level according to your actual
application requirement.
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