SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)

SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol, is a widely used protocol for managing and monitoring the health and status of network devices within an Internet Protocol (IP) network. Established in the 1980s, SNMP enables network administrators to manage network performance, find and solve network problems, and plan for network growth.

An essential tool in network management, SNMP works by exchanging management information between network devices, such as routers, switches, servers, printers, and other IP-enabled devices. It uses a simple set of operations that allows these devices to share information about their configuration and status with a central management system, known as a network management system (NMS).

SNMP operates through agents and a network-management system (NMS). Each network device runs an SNMP agent, which collects and stores the device's management information. The NMS periodically collects this information from the agents, using SNMP to issue requests for specific data. The agents then respond to these requests by sending the data back to the NMS. SNMP also allows the NMS to modify the configuration of network devices through remote commands.

There are three primary versions of SNMP:

SNMP is particularly valued for its simplicity and effectiveness in gathering consistent, organized data about network health and performance across diverse network devices, facilitating proactive management and rapid troubleshooting.