Using SNMP to manage networks

The simple network management protocol (SNMP) was created in the late eighties to solve a problem-management of the Internet, a very large distribution network based on TCP/IP protocols. SNMP was originally defined by the Internet Activities Board (IAB) in an RFC (Request for Comment) document. It is a simple protocol RFC 1067 defined five PDU formats designed to be carried by a connectionless datagram protocol, usually, but not necessarily, UDP. SNMP functionality can be split into two parts-the protocol and the MIBs (Management Information Bases). There is a third element-the user interface. However, that is strictly implemented specific, and not defined by an RFC. The author discusses message types; MIB; management systems; SNMP versus CMIP; improvements in SNMP performance; presentation improvements; and the benefits of SNMP