About SNMP and the PortServer Agent

This section introduces SNMP and network management in TCP/IP networks, and it describes the agent for the Digi One RealPort and PortServer TS. It discusses the following:

• Network management components
• The SNMP agent
• SNMP traps
• The MIB support provided by the agent for the Digi device
• The agent's supported traps

Network Management Components

The TCP/IP network management architecture contains the following components:

• Managed nodes such as host systems, routers, terminal and communications servers (such as Digi One RealPort and PortServer TS) and other network devices
• One or more network managers (also called network management stations), which are the points from which the network is managed
• Agents that reside on managed nodes and retrieve management information and communicate this information to network managers
• The network management protocol, SNMP, which governs the exchange of information between the nodes and stations
• Management information, which is the database of information about managed objects. This database is called the management information base (MIB).

SNMP Management Agent

Each managed node contains at least one agent--a component that responds to requests from the network manager--that retrieves network management information from its node and notifies the manager when significant events occur.

SNMP Traps

A mechanism defined by SNMP is called a trap, which is a report or "alarm" from a managed node to an SNMP manager that a significant event has occurred.