Snmp Overview; Snmp Mechanism - 3Com MSR 50 Series Configuration Manual

113

SNMP Overview

SNMP Mechanism

SNMP C
ONFIGURATION
When configuring SNMP, go to these sections for information you are interested
in:
"SNMP Overview" on page 2085
■
"SNMP Configuration" on page 2085
■
"Trap Configuration" on page 2088
■
"Displaying and Maintaining SNMP" on page 2090
■
"SNMP Configuration Example" on page 2090
■
Simple network management protocol (SNMP) offers a framework to monitor
network devices through TCP/IP protocol suite. It provides a set of basic operations
in monitoring and maintaining the Internet and has the following characteristics:
Automatic network management: SNMP enables network administrators to
■
search information, modify information, find and diagnose network problems,
plan for network growth, and generate reports on any network nodes.
SNMP shields the physical differences between various devices and thus realizes
■
automatic management of products from different manufacturers. Offering
only the basic set of functions, SNMP makes the management tasks
independent of both the physical features of the managed devices and the
underlying networking technology. Thus, SNMP achieves effective
management of devices from different manufactures, especially so in small,
fast and low cost network environments.
An SNMP enabled network is comprised of network management station (NMS)
and Agent.
NMS is a station that runs the SNMP client software. It offers a user friendly
■
human computer interface, making it easier for network administrators to
perform most network management tasks. Currently, the most commonly used
NMSs include Quidview, Sun NetManager, and IBM NetView.
Agent is a program on the device. It receives and handles requests sent from
■
the NMS. Only under certain circumstances, such as interface state change, will
the Agent inform the NMS.
NMS manages an SNMP enabled network, whereas Agent is the managed
■
network device. They exchange management information through the SNMP
protocol.
SNMP provides the following four basic operations: