Brocade Network OS Administrator’s Guide v4.1.1 - Manual (Page 133)

Configuring SNMP
● Simple Network Management Protocol overview..........................................................133
● SNMP configuration...................................................................................................... 139
Simple Network Management Protocol overview
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a set of protocols for managing complex networks.
SNMP protocols are application layer protocols. Using SNMP, devices within a network send
messages, called protocol data units (PDUs), to different parts of a network. Network management
using SNMP requires three components:
• SNMP Manager
• SNMP Agent
• Management Information Base (MIB)
SNMP Manager
The SNMP Manager can communicate to the devices within a network using the SNMP protocol.
Typically, SNMP Managers are network management systems (NMS) that manage networks by
monitoring the network parameters, and optionally, setting parameters in managed devices. Normally,
the SNMP Manager sends read requests to the devices that host the SNMP Agent, to which the SNMP
Agent responds with the requested data. In some cases, the managed devices can initiate the
communication, and send data to the SNMP Manager using asynchronous events called traps.
SNMP Agent
The SNMP agent is a software that resides in the managed devices in the network, and collects data
from these devices. Each device hosts an SNMP Agent. The SNMP Agent stores the data, and sends
these when requested by an SNMP Manager. In addition, the Agent can asynchronously alert the
SNMP Manager about events, by using special PDUs called traps.
Management Information Base (MIB)
SNMP Agents in the managed devices store the data about these devices in a database called
Management Information Base (MIB). The MIB is a hierarchical database, which is structured on the
standard specified in the RFC 2578 [Structure of Management Information Version 2 (SMIv2)].
The MIB is a database of objects that can be used by a network management system to manage and
monitor devices on the network. The MIB can be retrieved by a network management system that uses
SNMP. The MIB structure determines the scope of management access allowed by a device. By using
SNMP, a manager application can issue read or write operations within the scope of the MIB.
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