Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
In recent years, SNMP has become a popular means for managing multi-vendor
wide area network (WAN) devices. Originally developed for the management
of TCP/IP local area networks (LANs), SNMP allows different managed de-
vices, such as workstations connected to a LAN, bridges, or routers, to commu-
nicate with a Network Management System (NMS) using a standard protocol.
The incorporation of SNMP into wide area network interface devices, such as
Access-T, takes advantage of SNMP’s virtues:
•
It is a standard protocol.
•
It takes up few system resources in the managed device.
•
It operates in multi-vendor environment.
This section contains a brief overview of SNMP along with a short description
of the TCP/IP protocol suite and IP addressing modes. A more detailed discus-
sion of these topics can be found in many TCP/IP and SNMP reference books,
including Internetworking with TCP/IP by Douglas E. Comer.
Figure 1-7 illustrates a typical use of SNMP to manage wide-area network
interfaces. In this application, the SNMP manager is managing Larscom’s
Access-Ts, which provide an interface to a T1 network. The SNMP manager
could be the Larscom EMS™, the HP OpenView™, or the SunNet Manager™.
Chapter 1
ACST-0351-005
Introduction
June 1996
1-16