SNMP

Introduction

This topic describes the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), which is configured on your NOE or 140 CPU 651 x0. Network management software allows a network manager to:

monitor and control network components
isolate problems and identify their causes
query the status of devices such as a host computer, routers, switches, and bridges
obtain statistics about the networks to which devices are connected

Manager/Agent Paradigm

Network management software follows the conventional client-server model. To avoid confusion with other network communication protocols that use the client/server terminology, network management software uses the following terms:

manager: the client application that runs on the manager’s computer
agent: the application that runs on a network device

The manager uses conventional transport protocols (for example, or ) to establish communication with the agent. Managers and agents then exchange requests and responses according to the network management protocol.

Simple Network Management Protocol

Your NOE module is configured with SNMP, which is the standard protocol used to manage a local area network (LAN). SNMP defines exactly how a manager communicates with an agent.

The SNMP defines the format of the requests that a manager sends to an agent and the format of the replies that the agent returns to the manager.

The MIB

Each SNMP object has to be defined and given a unique name. Both the manager and agent programs must agree on the names and the meanings of the fetch and store operations. The set of all objects SNMP can access is known as a Management Information Base (MIB).

Private MIB

Schneider obtained a private MIB, Groupe_Schneider (3833). Under the Groupe Schneider private MIB is a Transparent Factory Ethernet (TFE) private MIB. The Transparent Factory SNMP embedded component controls the Schneider private MIB function.

Choosing an SNMP Manager

If you already have a working SNMP manager, you may continue to use it. Any of the many SNMP version 1-compliant managers on the market will work.

If you do not currently use an SNMP manager in your organization and are evaluating SNMP managers for purchase, then we recommend that you consider HiVision with the ConnexView Add-On developed for use with Schneider Electric PLCs.

Please contact your Schneider Electric sales office for availability and pricing of HiVision and ConnexView.

Using an SNMP Manager

The process for obtaining an SNMP manager:

Step	Action
1	Get Schneider .mib file from the NOE Web page. Find the .mib file as a packed file under /wwwroot/SchneiderTFE.zip on your NOE module.
2	Load .mib file to the SNMP manager.
3	When you are done, you will see the Schneider private MIB manager in your manager.

Other SNMP Resources

SNMP and related subjects are well-documented on Web sites and in many books:

As of this writing, a useful description appears on Microsoft’s Technet pages.

Browse to http://www.microsoft.com/technet. Use the Search function to find "Network Management for Microsoft Networks Using SNMP."
Use an Internet search engine to search for an SNMP introduction, tutorial, or other resource.
The SNMP FAQs from the news group comp.protocols.snmp appear on many .com and .org Web pages. Search for the combination of "comp.protocols.snmp" and "FAQ."