The Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) represents a standard for
managing TCP/IP-based networks. It was developed by the
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as a mechanism to
facilitate the management of multivendor products used in
TCP/IP networks, SNMP uses a client-server architecture
for monitoring and controlling SNMP-compliant devices.
SNMP architecture is
based on the interrelationship of three basic components:
a manager, an agent, and a database. The SNMP manager
represents a software program (e.g. HP OpenView) that
turns the computer executing the program into a Network
Management Station (NMS).
The agent represents
software or firmware residing in a managed network
device, such as a bridge, router, or host. Each agent
stores management data and responds to SNMP manager
queries for one or more data items.
The third component of
SNMP is the database, which is formally referred to as
the Management Information Base (MIB). The MIB represents
a collection of databases for the set of all managed
devices supported by SNMP. This means that each agent has
its own database of relevant objects for which it
collects statistics and performs other functions. The
diagram below illustrates the general relationship
between an SNMP manager, an agent, and the agent’s
MIB. Although only one agent is shown, the SNMP manager
can control many agents.
