Understanding SNMP
These sections contain this conceptual information:
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SNMP Versions
This software release supports these SNMP versions:
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Both SNMPv1 and SNMPv2C use a community-based form of security. The community of managers
able to access the agent's MIB is defined by an IP address access control list and password.
SNMPv2C includes a bulk retrieval mechanism and more detailed error message reporting to
management stations. The bulk retrieval mechanism retrieves tables and large quantities of information,
minimizing the number of round-trips required. The SNMPv2C improved error-handling includes
expanded error codes that distinguish different kinds of error conditions; these conditions are reported
through a single error code in SNMPv1. Error return codes in SNMPv2C report the error type.
Cisco ME 3400 Ethernet Access Switch Software Configuration Guide
29-2
SNMP Versions, page 29-2
SNMP Manager Functions, page 29-3
SNMP Agent Functions, page 29-4
SNMP Community Strings, page 29-4
Using SNMP to Access MIB Variables, page 29-4
SNMP Notifications, page 29-5
SNMP ifIndex MIB Object Values, page 29-5
MIB Data Collection and Transfer, page 29-6
SNMPv1—The Simple Network Management Protocol, a Full Internet Standard, defined in
RFC 1157.
SNMPv2C replaces the Party-based Administrative and Security Framework of SNMPv2Classic
with the community-string-based Administrative Framework of SNMPv2C while retaining the bulk
retrieval and improved error handling of SNMPv2Classic. It has these features:
SNMPv2—Version 2 of the Simple Network Management Protocol, a Draft Internet Standard,
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defined in RFCs 1902 through 1907.
SNMPv2C—The community-string-based Administrative Framework for SNMPv2, an
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Experimental Internet Protocol defined in RFC 1901.
SNMPv3—Version 3 of the SNMP is an interoperable standards-based protocol defined in RFCs
2273 to 2275. SNMPv3 provides secure access to devices by authenticating and encrypting packets
over the network and includes these security features:
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Message integrity—ensuring that a packet was not tampered with in transit
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Authentication—determining that the message is from a valid source
Encryption—mixing the contents of a package to prevent it from being read by an unauthorized
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source.
To select encryption, enter the priv keyword. This keyword is available only when the
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cryptographic (encrypted) software image is installed.
Chapter 29
Configuring SNMP
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