Simple Network Management Protocol Architecture - SNMP

SNMP architectural model is a collection of network management stations and network elements. Network management stations execute management applications which monitor and control network elements. The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is used to communicate management information between the network management stations and the agents in the network elements.

Goals of SNMP architecture

The SNMP explicitly minimizes the number and complexity of management functions realized by the management agent itself.
- The development cost for management agent software necessary to support the protocol is accordingly reduced.
- The degree of management function that is remotely supported is accordingly increased, thereby admitting fullest use of internet resources in the management task.
- The degree of management function that is remotely supported is accordingly increased, thereby imposing the fewest possible restrictions on the form and sophistication of management tools.
- Simplified sets of management functions are easily understood and used by developers of network management tools.

A second goal of the protocol is that the functional paradigm for monitoring and control be sufficiently extensible to accommodate additional, possibly unanticipated aspects of network operation and management.

A third goal is that the architecture be, as much as possible, independent of the architecture and mechanisms of particular hosts or particular gateways.

Elements of the Architecture

- Scope of the management information communicated by the protocol.
- Representation of the management information communicated by the protocol.
- Operations on management information supported by the protocol.
- The form and meaning of exchanges among management entities.
- The definition of administrative relationships among management entities.
- The form and meaning of references to management information.