System Message Logging
SNMP

The SNMP is an application-layer protocol that facilitates the exchange of management information between network devices. It is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite. SNMP enables network administrators to manage network performance, find and solve network problems, and plan for network growth. An SNMP managed network consists of three basic components :

  • Managed devices
  • Agents
  • Network-management system (NMS)

A managed device is a network node that is located on a managed network and contains an SNMP agent. Managed devices collect and store management information and make this information available to the NMS using SNMP. Managed devices, which are sometimes called network elements, can be routers and access servers, switches and bridges, APs, hubs, computer hosts, or printers. Other key terms are shown in Figure .

An NMS executes applications that monitor and control managed devices. An NMS provides the bulk of the processing and memory resources required for network management. One or more NMSs must exist on any managed network . Managed devices are monitored and controlled using basic SNMP commands . An example is shown in Figure .

The trap command can be configured on the AP or bridge to asynchronously report events to the NMS. When certain types of events occur, a managed device sends a trap to the NMS. The remaining basic commands are not yet integrated into Cisco Aironet products.

The 1100 and 1200 IOS software release supports SNMP versions 1 and 2 as shown in Figure . Both SNMPv1 and SNMPv2C use a community-based form of security. The community of managers able to access the agent's MIB is defined by an IP address access control list and password. The SNMP agent on the AP must be configured to use the version of SNMP supported by the management station. An agent can communicate with multiple managers; therefore, the software can be configured to support communications with one management station using the SNMPv1 protocol and another using the SNMPv2 protocol.