Application layer (4/5): Network management protocols (Computer networks)
The logic of network management protocols is obvious: when a network is in place, why not use the network to manage the various nodes connected to the network? SNMP (the simple network management protocol) is one of the best known network management protocols. It is widely used and supported by all but the cheapest pieces of equipment. A prolific number of network management systems (NMSs) are available, with many of them being free open-source products.
This video introduces the notions that underlie SNMP. SNMP is not included in this module is not because a management protocol is deemed to be one of the (only a handful of) important protocols that MUST be discussed. One of the key reasons is rather the fact that both the NMS and the managed objects (or, more correctly, their agents) need to be able to initiate communication. This is not how the typical client server architecture works, and is out first example of a protocol where our notions of clients and servers need to be reassessed.
The video considers these issues, as well as the notion of a management information base (MIB) on a high level. It then uses a simple demonstration to show how a node can be configured to be managed using SNMP. This simple example supports SMTPv1, SMTPv2.3 and SMTPv3. The clarity of the interface clearly illustrates the security risks and challenges associated with SNMP. The LibreNMS is then used to demonstrate (1) how information that has been obtained from a few network components is displayed, and (2) how one can get a colour-coded view of the health of the network. This latter aspect allows one to quickly determine the problem areas in a network and allows one to drill down deeper to determine the real nature of the problem.
It is noted that a fairly large number of other network management protocols exist that may be more secure than SNMP. However, they are not discussed in this video.
The video is part of a lecture series made at home to continue online education during COVID-19 lockdown.
by NetworkProf
simple network management protocol
