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Cisco Content Services Switch Administration Guide
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Chapter 5 Configuring Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
SNMP Overview
There are many different SNMP management applications, but they all perform
the same basic task: They allow SNMP managers to communicate with agents to
monitor, configure, and receive alerts from the network devices. You can use any
SNMP-compatible NMS to monitor and control a CSS.
SNMP Manager and Agent Communication
There are several ways that the SNMP manager and the agent communicate.
•
The manager can:
–
Retrieve a value (a GET action).
The SNMP manager requests information from the agent, such as the
number of users logged on to the agent device, or the status of a critical
process on that device. The agent gets the value of the requested MIB
object and sends the value back to the manager.
–
Retrieve the value immediately after the variable you name (a
GET-NEXT action).
The SNMP manager retrieves values from within a MIB. Using the
get-next function, you do not need to know the exact MIB object instance
you are looking for; the SNMP manager takes the variable you name and
then uses a sequential search to find the desired variables.
–
Retrieve a number of values (a GET-BULK action).
The SNMP manager performs a number of get-next actions that you
specify.
–
Change a setting on the agent (a SET action).
The SNMP manager requests the agent to change the value of the MIB
object. For example, you could run a script or an application on a remote
device with a set action.