CHAPTER
BPX SNMP Agent 14-1
14
BPX SNMP Agent
This chapter introduces the functions of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) agent
that is embedded in each BPX node. To benefit from this chapter, readers should have a general
knowledge of SNMP, IP protocols, and MIBs.
The chapter contains the following:
• Introduction
• SNMP Overview
• SNMP Functions
• MIB II Support
• Cisco WAN Switching Proprietary MIB Structure
Introduction
An SNMP agent is embedded in each BPX node. (This feature is an addition to and functionally
different from the SNMP Proxy Agent that can be used by a non-SV+ workstation to provide access
to a MIB on the SV+ workstation which contains data extracted from the SV+ Informix database.)
The SNMP agent permits an SNMP manager to view and set certain network objects in Management
Information Bases (MIBs) that are maintained in each BPX node within a managed network. The
embedded SNMP agent supports the standard Internet MIB II, the ATM 3.1 UNI MIB, and a Cisco
WAN Switching proprietary MIB. The Cisco WAN Switching proprietary MIB contains information
necessary to control ports and connections on the switches in the network. The standard Internet
MIB II contains MIB modules defined by the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). SNMP
support is available on both IPX and BPX switches.
The proprietary MIB is supplied on a tape for compilation into the user’s SNMP manager.
SNMP Overview
An SNMP manager manages the SNMP agents in each BPX node in a single domain. To gain access
to network nodes, the SNMP manager is connected to one of the BPX nodes through its Ethernet
port, which acts as a gateway for the SNMP manager to communicate with all the other BPX nodes
in the domain.
In multiple networks, a separate SNMP manager must exist for each network that is being managed.
Furthermore, nodes within a multi-network can be managed by multiple SNMP managers. Also,
ATM connections that span multiple networks are supported in the SNMP MIB.
