Getting to Know SNMP and Its Relationship to Network Monitoring

Of the many network protocols, this time we will discuss SNMP or Simple Network Management Protocol. SNMP is one of the protocols needed in network monitoring applications. In its application, network monitoring applications will help users to monitor connectivity in real-time and prevent prolonged disruptions. So, what is the relationship between SNMP and Network Monitoring? Let’s see the article below.

In order to read data on the user’s device, a network monitoring tool needs a mechanism such as a protocol. Why do you need a protocol? Protocols can define functions in a network so that they can send messages, data, and information. Protocols can allow recipients and senders of information to communicate with each other.

Understanding SNMP

SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is a standard protocol for monitoring and managing network devices. SNMP is one of the most commonly used protocols in Indonesia. Around 1990, SNMP began to be used. SNMP has a function to manage devices connected to IP (Internet Protocol) such as switches, routers, and servers. Until now, SNMP has become a standard that is commonly used so that many people follow it as if it were an official standard (de facto standard).

How SNMP Works

Let’s discuss how SNMP works, considering that this protocol is the most commonly used in Indonesia. There are two main rights in network management used by SNMP, namely manager and agent. Manager is a place for administrators to control network management functions, while agents are things that are installed to manage devices. SNMP only requires small software on the agent.

In addition, SNMP also uses UDP datagrams which have a simple system for sending information. SNMP looks simpler because it has limited management commands. The management entity will send a command to Get, GetNex, and Set to retrieve one variable or several objects. It can be said that the device will provide a message if SNMP sends a command. This is called pull. SNMP gets information by pulling, in this protocol we will get information without asking or giving commands or push.

Relationship between SNMP and Network Monitoring

Maintaining network performance is an important thing to do in a company to achieve adequate service availability. In helping to optimize network performance, network management is needed to maintain, diagnose, and provide a complete report to help make decisions and planning recommendations. One of them can use the SNMP network monitoring tool as a network management that can maintain the network.

Network monitoring tools require a mechanism such as a protocol as an effort to be able to read data on the user’s device. Why do you need a protocol? Protocols can define functions in a network so that they can send messages, data, and information. Protocols can allow recipients and senders of information to communicate with each other. This is where the role of SNMP and network monitoring is interconnected, where the SNMP protocol will send information to network monitoring so that periodic connectivity monitoring can be carried out.

In addition to SNMP, there are many other protocols that can be used in network management such as Netflow, Sflow, and Jflow. However, in Indonesia there are more devices that support the SNMP protocol. One of them is Netmonk as a provider of network monitoring applications in Indonesia that uses SNMP for network management. However, this does not rule out the possibility of Netmonk developing to be able to monitor networks with other protocols so that it can become an up-to-date network monitoring analytic platform that can maintain the performance of your device. Please contact our marketing team for questions regarding PoC and our product information here.

Sources: binus.ac.id and proweb.co.id