Protocol Operations for Version 2 of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv2)
RFC 1905
| Document | Type |
RFC - Draft Standard
(January 1996; No errata)
Obsoleted by RFC 3416
Obsoletes RFC 1448
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated | 2013-03-02 | ||
| Stream | IETF | ||
| Formats | plain text pdf html bibtex | ||
| Stream | WG state | (None) | |
| Document shepherd | No shepherd assigned | ||
| IESG | IESG state | RFC 1905 (Draft Standard) | |
| Consensus Boilerplate | Unknown | ||
| Telechat date | |||
| Responsible AD | (None) | ||
| Send notices to | (None) | ||
Network Working Group SNMPv2 Working Group
Request for Comments: 1905 J. Case
Obsoletes: 1448 SNMP Research, Inc.
Category: Standards Track K. McCloghrie
Cisco Systems, Inc.
M. Rose
Dover Beach Consulting, Inc.
S. Waldbusser
International Network Services
January 1996
Protocol Operations
for Version 2 of the
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv2)
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
1. Introduction
A 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
authentication, authorization, access control, and privacy policies.
Management stations execute management applications which monitor and
control managed elements. Managed elements are devices such as
hosts, routers, terminal servers, etc., which are monitored and
controlled via access to their 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) [1], termed the Structure of
Management Information (SMI) [2].
SNMPv2 Working Group Standards Track [Page 1]
RFC 1905 Protocol Operations for SNMPv2 January 1996
The management protocol, version 2 of the Simple Network Management
Protocol, provides for the exchange of messages which convey
management information between the agents and the management
stations. The form of these messages is a message "wrapper" which
encapsulates a Protocol Data Unit (PDU). The form and meaning of the
"wrapper" is determined by an administrative framework which defines
both authentication and authorization policies.
It is the purpose of this document, Protocol Operations for SNMPv2,
to define the operations of the protocol with respect to the sending
and receiving of the PDUs.
1.1. A Note on Terminology
For the purpose of exposition, the original Internet-standard Network
Management Framework, as described in RFCs 1155 (STD 16), 1157 (STD
15), and 1212 (STD 16), is termed the SNMP version 1 framework
(SNMPv1). The current framework is termed the SNMP version 2
framework (SNMPv2).
2. Overview
2.1. Roles of Protocol Entities
A SNMPv2 entity may operate in a manager role or an agent role.
A SNMPv2 entity acts in an agent role when it performs SNMPv2
management operations in response to received SNMPv2 protocol
messages (other than an inform notification) or when it sends trap
notifications.
A SNMPv2 entity acts in a manager role when it initiates SNMPv2
management operations by the generation of SNMPv2 protocol messages
or when it performs SNMPv2 management operations in response to
received trap or inform notifications.
A SNMPv2 entity may support either or both roles, as dictated by its
implementation and configuration. Further, a SNMPv2 entity can also
act in the role of a proxy agent, in which it appears to be acting in
an agent role, but satisfies management requests by acting in a
manager role with a remote entity.
2.2. Management Information
The term, variable, refers to an instance of a non-aggregate object
type defined according to the conventions set forth in the SMI [2] or
the textual conventions based on the SMI [3]. The term, variable
binding, normally refers to the pairing of the name of a variable and
SNMPv2 Working Group Standards Track [Page 2]
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