Table of Contents
SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol, is a network management protocol used for collecting information about devices on a network. Many vendors have implemented SNMP into their products. It is a good idea to use SNMP on a router for network management, but before starting to do this, you need to make sure that the router has been properly configured.
Overview
SNMP is a UDP-based protocol that operates over port 161. It uses a community string to authenticate requests and can return data in either XML or JSON format. A community string is a unique string that identifies a SNMP agent and must be shared by communities. If an SNMP agent does not have a shared community string, it will not accept requests from other agents. SNMP works by sending a request to the SNMP agent asking it to send information about its own state. The SNMP agent responds with a data block that contains system information, including IP address, operating system and software version.
Operation
A manager can use SNMP to query devices for information such as system uptime, CPU utilization, and logged errors. SNMP was created to monitor the status of devices, but it can also be used to manage a device. SNMP can be used to configure and control devices in a network. It is a protocol that allows administrators to easily monitor and manage network resources.
Security
SNMP uses community strings to authenticate requests. Community strings are sent in cleartext, so they should be protected if they contain sensitive information. SNMP is not designed to encrypt information, but it can be used in conjunction with an encryption protocol.
Limitations
SNMP does not support devices that do not have an IP address. It also does not work with devices that are behind firewalls and routers. The MIB-II (Management Information Base for Network Management) defines an Internet-standard management information base, describing all network management objects on the Internet and defining their semantics and relationships.
Deployment
SNMP can be deployed in both managed and unmanaged networks. Managed networks typically include a centralized management system that manages the network. In unmanaged networks, SNMP can be deployed by using third-party agents such as those from HP, Intel, and others.
