SNMP Terminology

Agent

The SNMP server running on the Secure Firewall Threat Defense. The SNMP agent has the following features:

• Responds to requests for information and actions from the network management station.

• Controls access to its Management Information Base, the collection of objects that the SNMP manager can view or change.

• Does not allow SET operations.

Browsing

Monitoring the health of a device from the network management station by polling required information from the SNMP agent on the device. This activity may include issuing a series of GET-NEXT or GET-BULK requests of the MIB tree from the network management station to determine values.

Management Information Bases (MIBs)

Standardized data structures for collecting information about packets, connections, buffers, failovers, and so on. MIBs are defined by the product, protocols, and hardware standards used by most network devices. SNMP network management stations can browse MIBs and request specific data or events be sent as they occur.

Network management stations (NMSs)

The PCs or workstations set up to monitor SNMP events and manage devices.

Object identifier (OID)

The system that identifies a device to its NMS and indicates to users the source of information monitored and displayed.

Trap

Predefined events that generate a message from the SNMP agent to the NMS. Events include alarm conditions such as linkup, linkdown, coldstart, warmstart, authentication, or syslog messages.