Network Management Protocols and Applications
Cliff Leach
Mike Looney
Danny Mar
Monty Maughon
Simple Network Management Protocol
• a.k.a. SNMP
• Most widely used network management protocol
• Designed in 1988 based on SGMP
– Router management protocol
• Allows management of network devices
What Does SNMP need?
Managed Networking Devices
– Routers, Switches, UPS, and Servers
Devices must support SNMP
– Typically manageable devices support SNMP
– Operating Systems have SNMP services available
How Does SNMP Work?
Agents
– Collects data about the network device.
Manager
– Processes the collected data and stores it in a database called Management
Information Base (MIB)
Protocol Data Unit
– The data that is collected and transferred between Agents and Managers
Common Management Interface Protocol
• Used by Large Companies
• Supports all layers of the OSI model
• Costly to implement and takes more time
• Has More control than SNMP
Remote Monitoring Protocol
• Standard MIB for monitoring network usage and network
troubleshooting
– First defined in 1992 by IETF called RFC 1271
• Replaced by RFC 1757 standard in 1995
– Define objects and statistics for network administrators to analyze
network
• Console managers and probes on the network must be RMON
compliant
RMON Grouping Elements
Organized into nine optional groups that rely on each other
– Although they are optional, few of the groups need support from other groups in
order to function
– Some groups can stand alone, but others depend on other groups
Nine Groups:
Statistics, History, Alarm, Host, HostTopN, Matrix, Filters, Packet
Capture, and Events
Multi-Router Traffic Grapher
• Network Management Application
• Works on UNIX, Windows, and MAC OS 10.1
systems
• First Published in 1995
How does MRTG work?
Consists of a PERL script
– Uses SNMP to read traffic counters and C program to log network traffic
Creates Graphs in GIF format
– Represents the traffic monitored on a network connection
– Embedded into web pages and can be viewed by any web browser
How does MRTG work?
• Creates visual representations of network traffic
• Logs its data to an ASCII file
• Log file is constantly being consolidated
Other Advantages
• Not just limited to monitoring network traffic
• Monitors system loads, login sessions, modem
availability
Problems
• Scalability and Portability
• Released Version 2.0 in January 1997
• Faster and more user-friendly
• Maintains its log files more efficiently
Issues with MRTG 2.0
• Had performance and flexibility problems
• People are monitoring “non-traffic” sources
• Led to the development of Version 3.0
LANWatch 32
• Well suited for basic analysis, however more
complex tasks are difficult
• Monitors network traffic in real time
Features
• Easy-to-use interface with pull-down menus
• Graphic display of detailed network statistics
• Decodes over 60 network protocols, including:
– TCP
– UDP
– IP
– IPv6
• Provides over 400 filters to isolate network traffic
• Software-based, easily portable to remote sites
Sample Screenshot