OUT-BAND MANAGEMENT

USING THE SIMPLE

NETWORK MANAGEMENT
PROTOCOL
Presented by:
Sagar S Talagatti – 2GI23SCS08
Under the guidance of:
Dr. Ravi U Kalkundri,
Asst. Prof., Dept. Of CSE,
KLS GIT Belagavi
Contents
1. Out Band Management
2. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) & Its Architecture
3. Types Of SNMP
4. Advantages & Limitations Of SNMP
5. Conclusion
6. References
1. Out Band Management
• Out-band management goes through a
different interface than the interface used by
data traffic.

• In Fibre Channel SANs, for example, most

devices have a separate IP interface for
connection to the LAN, over which they offer
management functions.
1. Out Band Management (Ctd…)
• For out-band management an IP connection must exist between the computer of the central
management system and the device to be managed.

• For security reasons it can be a good idea to set up a separate LAN for the management of the
storage network in addition to the conventional LAN for the data transfer.

• For a long time, the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) was most frequently used
for Out-Band management.

• In addition there are more recent developments such as the Common Information Model (CIM)
and the Web Based Enterprise Management (WBEM), which can be used instead of SNMP.

• Finally, Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S) represents a further development

of WBEM and CIM that is specially tailored to the management of storage networks.

• Furthermore, there are other protocols such as Common Management Information Protocol
(CMIP) and Desktop Management Interface (DMI)that specialize in server monitoring.
2. Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) & Its Architecture
• The first version of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) was ratified in 1988 by
the IETF and was originally a standard for the management of IP networks.

• Although there are, even now, protocols for this field that can be better adapted to the devices
to be managed, SNMP is still the most frequently used protocol due to its simple architecture.

• This is also the reason why SNMP has gained such great importance in the field of storage
networks.

• It's a part of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) family and is one of
the most widely used network protocols.

• SNMP provides a common language for network devices to share information with a network
management system (NMS).

• Some basic SNMP commands include GET, GET NEXT, GET BULK, SET, TRAPS, INFORM, and
RESPONSE.
2. Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) & Its Architecture (Ctd…)
• SNMP architecture is explained as follows:

• In SNMP jargon, a management application is

called Network Management System (NMS)
(Figure 10.4).

• This could be a central management system

which utilizes SNMP among other protocols.

• However, even the Syslog-Daemon of a Unix

system can be used as an NMS to monitor the
status of devices via SNMP.

• All devices are referred to as Managed Device.

• Each Managed Device runs a SNMP Agent,

which enables the NMS to retrieve the status
of the Managed Device and to configure it.
2. Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) & Its Architecture (Ctd…)
• SNMP models devices as Managed Objects. At the end, these are variables which represent
the status of a device.

• Scalar objects define precisely one object instance. Tabular objects bring together several
related object instances in the form of a so-called MIB table.

• SNMP organizes Managed Objects in so-called Management Information Bases (MIB).

• If the NMS knows the MIB of the device to be managed, then it can interrogate or change
individual MIB objects by appropriate requests to the SNMP agent.

• The information regarding the MIB in question is loaded into the NMS in advance by means of
a so-called MIB file.

• Since an MIB can also exist as precisely one Managed Object, Managed Objects are also called
MIB objects or even just MIB. In this manner a Managed Object is identified with its MIB.
2. Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) & Its Architecture (Ctd…)
• All the MIBs on the market can be divided into two groups:
1. Standard MIBs cover general management functions of certain device classes.
2. Vendors can develop private or so-called enterprise MIBs as proprietary MIB.

• Management functions can thus be offered that are specially tailored to individual devices and
extend beyond the functions of the standard MIBs.

• There are two important standard MIBs for the management of a Fibre Channel SAN:
1. The Fabric Element MIB developed by the SNIA is specialized for Fibre Channel switchesand supplies
detailed information on port states and port statistics.
2. The Fibre Channel Management MIB was developed by the Fibre Alliance. It can be used to request
connection information, information on the device configuration or the status of a device.
2. Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) & Its Architecture (Ctd…)
• In order to differentiate between the
individual managed objects there is an MIB
hierarchy with a tree structure (Figure
10.5).

• The various standardization organizations

form the top level of the tree.

• From there, the tree branches to the

individual standards of this organization
and then to the actual objects, which form
the leaves of the hierarchy tree.

• In this manner an individual MIB object can

be clearly defined by means of its position
within the MIB hierarchy.
2. Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) & Its Architecture (Ctd…)
• In addition, each managed object is given a unique identification number, the so-called object
identifier.

• The object identifier is a sequence of digits that are separated by points. Each individual digit
stands for a branch in the MIB tree and each point for a junction.

• The full object identifier describes the route from the root to the MIB object in question.

• For example, all MIB objects defined by the IBM Corporation hang under the branch
1.3.6.1.4.1.2 or in words iso.org.dod.internet.private.enterprises.ibm (Figure 10.5).

• Thus all object identifiers of the MIB objects that have been defined by IBM Corporation begin
with this sequence of numbers.
2. Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) & Its Architecture (Ctd…)
• SNMP defines four operations for the monitoring and configuration of managed devices:
1. The Get request is used by the NMS in order to request the values of one or more MIB object
instances from an agent.
2. The GetNext request allows the NMS to request the next value of an object instance within an MIB
table from an agent after a prior Get request.
3. The Set request allows the NMS to set the value of an object instance.
4. The Trap operation allows the SNMP agent to inform the NMS independently about value changes of
object instances.

• SNMP has no secure authentication options. Only so-called community names are issued.

• Each NMS and each SNMP agent is allocated such a community name. The allocation of
community names creates individual administrative domains.

• Two communication partners (an NMS and an SNMP agent) may only talk to each other if they
have the same community name. The most frequently used community name is ‘public’.
2. Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) & Its Architecture (Ctd…)
• If, for example, an NMS makes a Set request of an SNMP agent, then it sends its community
name with it.

• If the community name of the NMS corresponds with that of the SNMP agent, then this
performs the Set operation. Otherwise it is rejected.

• Thus, anyone who knows the community name can make changes to the values of an object
instance.

• This is one reason why many providers of SNMP-capable devices avoid the implementation of
Set operations on their SNMP agent, because community names only represent a weak form of
authentication.

• In addition, they are transmitted over the network unencrypted.

3. Types Of SNMP
• There are several commonly used SNMP types, namely:
1. SNMPv1 (Simple Network Management Protocol version 1) – SNMPv1 is the initial version of the SNMP
protocol. It provides basic functions for network management, such as data collection and device configuration.
However, the security of SNMPv1 is limited, as there is no strong encryption or authentication support.
2. SNMPv2 (Simple Network Management Protocol version 2) – SNMPv2 includes increased functionality
compared to SNMPv1, including support for new data types, additional command operations, and improved
notifications. However, SNMPv2 security flaws still exist.
3. SNMPv3 (Simple Network Management Protocol version 3) – SNMPv3 is the latest and most secure version
of the SNMP protocol. It provides enhanced security features, including encryption, strong authentication, and data
integrity. SNMPv3 also supports more granular user management with role-based access rights.

• In addition, there are also other variants of SNMP that include some changes or additional features, such
as:
1. RMON (Remote Monitoring) – RMON is an SNMP extension that provides more advanced network monitoring
functions. It enables more detailed monitoring and data collection on network traffic, statistics, and device
behavior.
2. SNMPv2c (Simple Network Management Protocol version 2c) – SNMPv2c is a variant of SNMPv2 that
retains most of the functionality of SNMPv2, but omits some of the improvements and security from SNMPv3. It is
still used in some implementations that do not require high security.
4. Advantages & Limitations Of SNMP
• Advantages of SNMP:
1. Industry Standard – SNMP is an industry standard that is widely used and supported by various
network devices and network management software. It enables good interoperability between network
devices from different vendors and different network environments.
2. Scalability – SNMP is designed to support growing and complex networks. This protocol can be used
to manage networks consisting of thousands of devices, including routers, switches, servers, and other
network devices.
3. Monitoring and Collecting Data – SNMP enables the collection of data about the performance,
state, and usage of network devices. This information can be used to monitor network performance,
identify problems, and make informed decisions to optimize the network.
4. Advantages & Limitations Of SNMP (Ctd…)
• Limitations of SNMP:
1. Limited Security – Early versions of SNMP, such as SNMPv1 and SNMPv2, had limited security
features. Information sent via SNMP can be recorded and read by unauthorized parties. This can pose a
security risk if sensitive information such as passwords or network configurations are exposed.
2. Vulnerability to Attack – SNMP is vulnerable to attacks such as spoofing attacks, denial-of-service
(DoS) attacks, or password testing (brute-force) attacks. If not implemented properly or not protected
with additional security protocols, SNMP can become a weak point in the network that can be exploited
by attackers.
3. Not Suitable for Large Network Environments – SNMP may not be suitable for very large or
complex networks with thousands of devices. Overuse or too frequent data collection via SNMP can
overload the network and result in significant overhead.
5. Conclusion
• We can conclude the following:
• Out-band management goes through a different interface than the interface used by data traffic.
• Despite the availability of many new protocols, SNMP is still widely used because of its simplicity.
• Like all things, even SNMP has some limitations mainly less security.
6. References
• Storage Networks Explained 2nd Edition – Ulf Troppens, Rainer Erkens and Wolfgang Muller,
Publisher – Wiley India

• SNMP: Definition, Function, Advantages, and Disadvantages –

https://it.telkomuniversity.ac.id/en/snmp-is/