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Do You Know about SNMP? - How it works ?


What is SNMP ?

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an application–layer protocol defined by the Internet Architecture Board in RFC1157 for exchanging management information between network devices. It is a part of Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP⁄IP) protocol suite.

SNMP is one of the widely accepted protocols to manage and monitor network elements. Most of the professional–grade network elements come with bundled SNMP agent. These agents have to be enabled and configured to communicate with the network monitoring system (NMS).
SNMP communication

Being the part of TCP⁄ IP protocol suite, the SNMP messages are wrapped as User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and intern wrapped and transmitted in the Internet SNMP versions

SNMP Protocol v1 and v2c are the most implemented versions of SNMP. Support to SNMP Protocol v3 has recently started catching up as it is more secured when compare to its older versions, but still it has not reached considerable market share.

SNMPv1:

This is the first version of SNMP protocol, which is defined in RFCs 1155 and 1157

SNMPv2c:

This is the revised protocol, which includes enhancements of SNMPv1 in the areas of protocol packet types, transport mappings, MIB structure elements but using the existing SNMPv1 administration structure ("community based" and hence SNMPv2c). It is defined in RFC 1901, RFC 1905, RFC 1906, RFC 2578.

SNMPv3:

SNMPv3 defines the secure version of the SNMP. SNMPv3 protocol also facilitates remote configuration of the SNMP entities. It is defined by RFC 1905, RFC 1906, RFC 3411, RFC 3412, RFC 3414, RFC 3415.
Though each version had matured towards rich functionalities, additional emphasis was given to the security aspect on each upgrade. Here is a small clip on each editions security aspect.

  1. SNMP v1    - Community–based security

  2. SNMP v2c  - Community–based security

  3. SNMP v2u  - User–based security

  4. SNMP v2    - Party–based security

  5. SNMP v3    -User–based security

How Does SNMP Work?

SNMP works by sending messages, called protocol data units (PDUs), to devices within your network. Using these requests, network administrators can track virtually any data values they specify. All of the information SNMP tracks can be provided to the specific product that asks for it.
All day, traffic is ebbing and flowing across your network as users conduct transfers, browse, perform downloads, and more. SNMP talks to your network to find out information related to this network device activity: for example, bytes, packets, and errors transmitted and received on a router, connection speed between devices, or the number of hits a web server receives.

SNMP works by sending messages, called protocol data units (PDUs), to devices within your network that “speak” SNMP. These messages are called SNMP Get-Requests. Using these requests, network administrators can track virtually any data values they specify. All of the information SNMP tracks can be provided to a product that asks for it. That product can either display or store the data, depending on an administrator’s preferences.
A network normally has at least one computer or server running monitoring software. It is the managing entity. Like other devices: switches, routers, workstations, server racks, printers, coffee machines, or anything else that needs to be monitored. They are the managed devices.


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