Device Management 
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8.5 SNMP 
8.5.1 Overview 
SNMP  (Simple  Network  Management  Protocol)  is  the  network  management  protocol 
applied most widely in the current TCP/IP network. Based on the SNMP, a management 
workstation can remotely manage all network devices supporting such a protocol, including 
monitoring the network state, modifying the network device configuration, and receiving the 
network event warnings. 
SNMP  can  shield  the  physical  differentiation  of  different  devices,  implement  automated 
management  of  devices  manufactured  by  different  manufacturers,  and  is  especially 
applicable to the small-size, rapid and low-cost environments. 
  Management framework of SNMP 
SNMP  management  framework  includes  three  component  parts:  SNMP  administrator, 
SNMP agent and MIB base (Management Information Base). 
  SNMP administrator: a system that controls and monitors network nodes using SNMP 
protocol.  Where,  the  most  common  SNMP  administrator  in  network  environment  is 
referred to as network management system (NMS). A network management system can 
indicate  either  a  server  specially  set  up  to  carry  out  network  management,  or  an 
application  program  installed  on  a  certain  network  device  to  implement  the 
management functions. 
  SNMP  agent:  a  software  module  installed  on  a  managed  device  to  manage  the 
management information data of the managed device and to report the management 
data to a SNMP management system when necessary. 
  MIB  base:  a  collection  of  managed  objects.  It  defines  a  series  of  properties  of  the 
managed object: name, access authority and data type of the object. Each SNMP agent 
has its own MIB. SNMP administrator can carry out read/write operation on the objects 
listed in the MIB as per the authority. 
SNMP administrator is the administrator of SNMP network, SNMP agent is the manager of 
the  SNMP  network,  and  the  both  exchange  management  information  through  SNMP 
protocol. 
  Basic operation of SNMP 
In  this  switch,  SNMP  provides  the  following  three  basic  operations  to  implement  the 
exchange between the SNMP administrator and SNMP agent: