Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

Question 1

What is SNMP

Answer 1

A TCP/IP protocol designed to manage and monitor network devices and computers.

Note: Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is commonly used to gather information from routers, switches, and other network devices. It provides information about a device’s status, including CPU and memory utilization, as well as many other useful details about the device.

Question 2

What are the 3 main components of SNMP

Answer 2

Managed Devices
Agents
Network Management Systems

Question 3

What are the managed devices?

Answer 3

The computers and devices connected to the network. These are monitored by the agents.

Question 4

What are the Agents?

Answer 4

Software loaded onto a managed device. The agent redirects information to the network management system.

Question 5

What is the Network Management System?

Answer 5

The software run on one or more servers to control the monitoring of devices/computers attached to the network.

Question 6

How many versions of SNMP are there and which ones are secure vs insecure and why?

Answer 6

3 versions
SNMP v1 & v2 are insecure because of “community strings”
SNMP v3 is secure because it provides integrity, authentication, and encryption of its messages.

Note: When SNMPv1 and SNMPv2 reached the market, their default community strings were set to “public,” and they were transmitted in easy-to-read and highly insecure plain text.

Question 7

What is an out-of-band network?

Answer 7

An out-of-band network is a secondary network that is used to manage networks. This makes sure that users can not touch or see any management functions in order to increase security. Management should be conducted on an “out-of-band” network.