D-Link DES-3226 manual MIBs, Authentication, Snmp performs the following functions

DES-3226 NWay Standalone Fast Ethernet Switch User’s Guide

MIBs

Management and counter information are stored in the Switch in the Management Information Base (MIB). The Switch uses the standard MIB-II Management Information Base module. Consequently, values for MIB objects can be retrieved from any SNMP-based network management software. In addition to the standard MIB-II, the Switch also supports its own proprietary enterprise MIB as an extended Management Information Base. These MIBs may also be retrieved by specifying the MIB’s Object-Identity (OID) at the network manager. MIB values can be either read-only or read-write.

Read-only MIBs variables can be either constants that are programmed into the Switch, or variables that change while the Switch is in operation. Examples of read-only constants are the number of port and type of ports. Examples of read-only variables are the statistics counters such as the number of errors that have occurred, or how many kilobytes of data have been received and forwarded through a port.

Read-write MIBs are variables usually related to user-customized configurations. Examples of these are the Switch’s IP Address, Spanning Tree Algorithm parameters, and port status.

If you use a third-party vendors’ SNMP software to manage the Switch, a diskette listing the Switch’s propriety enterprise MIBs can be obtained by request. If your software provides functions to browse or modify MIBs, you can also get the MIB values and change them (if the MIBs’ attributes permit the write operation). This process however can be quite involved, since you must know the MIB OIDs and retrieve them one by one.

SNMP

The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an OSI layer 7 (the application layer) protocol for remotely monitoring and configuring network devices. SNMP enables network management stations to read and modify the settings of gateways, routers, switches, and other network devices. SNMP can be used to perform many of the same functions as a directly connected console, or can be used within an integrated network management software package such as HP OpenView or DView.

SNMP performs the following functions:

•Sending and receiving SNMP packets through the IP protocol.

•Collecting information about the status and current configuration of network devices.

•Modifying the configuration of network devices.

The DES-3226 has a software program called an ‘agent’ that processes SNMP requests, but the user program that makes the requests and collects the responses runs on a management station (a designated computer on the network). The SNMP agent and the user program both use the UDP/IP protocol to exchange packets.

Authentication

The authentication protocol ensures that both the router SNMP agent and the remote user SNMP application program discard packets from unauthorized users. Authentication is accomplished using ‘community strings’, which function like passwords. The remote user SNMP application and the router SNMP must use the same community string. SNMP community strings of up to 20 characters may be entered under the Remote Management Setup menu of the console program.

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