D-Link DES-6300, User Manual, Page: 30 / 298

Modular L3 Ethernet Switch User’s Guide
21
5
S
WITCH
M
ANAGEMENT
C
ONCEPTS
This chapter discusses many of the features used to manage the switch, and explains many
concepts and important points regarding these features. Configuring the Switch to implement
these concepts is discussed in detail in the next chapters.
IP Addresses and SNMP Community Names
Each Switch has its own IP Address, which is used for communication with an SNMP network
manager or other TCP/IP application (for example BOOTP, TFTP, etc.). You must provide the
switch with an IP Address to meet the specification of your networking address scheme.
In addition, you can also set an IP Address for a gateway router. This becomes necessary when
the network management station is located on a different IP network as the Switch, making it
necessary for management packets to go through a router to reach the network manager, and
vice-versa.
For security, you can set in the Switch a list of IP Addresses of the network managers that you
allow to manage the Switch. You can also change the default Community Name in the Switch
and set access rights of these Community Names.
Traps
Traps are messages that alert you of events that occur on the Switch. The events can be as
serious as a reboot (someone accidentally turned
OFF the Switch), or less serious like a port
status change. The Switch generates traps and sends them to the network manager (trap
managers). The following lists the types of events that can take place on the Switch.
System resets
Errors
Status changes
Topology changes
Operation
You can also specify which network managers may receive traps from the Switch by setting a list
of IP Addresses of the authorized network managers.
Trap managers are special users of the network who are given certain rights and access in
overseeing the maintenance of the network. Trap managers will receive traps sent from the
Switch; they must immediately take certain actions to avoid future failure or breakdown of the
network.