Introduction to version 2 of the Internet-standard Network Management Framework
RFC 1441

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Network Working Group                                  J. Case
          Request for Comments: 1441                 SNMP Research, Inc.
                                                           K. McCloghrie
                                                      Hughes LAN Systems
                                                                 M. Rose
                                            Dover Beach Consulting, Inc.
                                                           S. Waldbusser
                                              Carnegie Mellon University
                                                              April 1993

                         Introduction to version 2 of the
                  Internet-standard Network Management Framework

          Status of this Memo

          This RFC specifes an IAB standards track protocol for the
          Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions
          for improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the
          "IAB Official Protocol Standards" for the standardization
          state and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo
          is unlimited.

          Table of Contents

          1 Introduction ..........................................    2
          2 Components of the SNMPv2 Framework ....................    3
          2.1 Structure of Management Information .................    3
          2.2 Textual Conventions .................................    4
          2.3 Protocol Operations .................................    4
          2.4 Transport Mappings ..................................    4
          2.5 Protocol Instrumentation ............................    5
          2.6 Administrative Framework ............................    5
          2.7 Conformance Statements ..............................    5
          3 Acknowledgements ......................................    7
          4 References ............................................   11
          5 Security Considerations ...............................   13
          6 Authors' Addresses ....................................   13

          Case, McCloghrie, Rose & Waldbusser                   [Page 1]



          RFC 1441            Introduction to SNMPv2          April 1993

          1.  Introduction

          The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of
          version 2 of the Internet-standard Network Management
          Framework, termed the SNMP version 2 framework (SNMPv2).  This
          framework is derived from the original Internet-standard
          Network Management Framework (SNMPv1), which consists of these
          three documents:

               RFC 1155 [1] which defines the Structure of Management
               Information (SMI), the mechanisms used for describing and
               naming objects for the purpose of management.

               RFC 1212 [2] which defines a more concise description
               mechanism, which is wholly consistent with the SMI.

               RFC 1157 [3] which defines the Simple Network Management
               Protocol (SNMP), the protocol used for network access to
               managed objects.

          For information on coexistence between SNMPv1 and SNMPv2,
          consult [4].

          Case, McCloghrie, Rose & Waldbusser                   [Page 2]



          RFC 1441            Introduction to SNMPv2          April 1993

          2.  Components of the SNMPv2 Framework

          A network management system contains: several (potentially
          many) nodes, each with a processing entity, termed an agent,
          which has access to management instrumentation; at least one
          management station; and, a management protocol, used to convey
          management information between the agents and management
          stations.  Operations of the protocol are carried out under an
          administrative framework which defines both authentication and
          authorization policies.

          Network management stations execute management applications
          which monitor and control network elements.  Network elements
          are devices such as hosts, routers, terminal servers, etc.,
          which are monitored and controlled through access to their
          management information.

          2.1.  Structure of Management Information

          Management information is viewed as a collection of managed
          objects, residing in a virtual information store, termed the
          Management Information Base (MIB).  Collections of related
          objects are defined in MIB modules.  These modules are written
          using a subset of OSI's Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1)
          [5].  It is the purpose of the Structure of Management
          Information for SNMPv2 document [6] to define that subset.

          The SMI is divided into three parts: module definitions,