Editing Simple Network Management Protocol (section)

== Overview and basic concepts ==
[[File:SNMP communication principles diagram.PNG|thumb|Principle of SNMP Communication|500px]]
In typical uses of SNMP, one or more administrative computers called ''managers'' have the task of monitoring or managing a group of hosts or devices on a [[computer network]]. Each managed system executes a software component called an ''agent'' that reports information via SNMP to the manager.

An SNMP-managed network consists of three key components:
* Managed devices
* [[Software agent|Agent]]{{snd}}software that runs on managed devices
* [[Network management station]] (NMS){{snd}}software that runs on the manager

A ''managed device'' is a network node that implements an SNMP interface that allows unidirectional (read-only) or bidirectional (read and write) access to node-specific information. Managed devices exchange node-specific information with the NMSs. Sometimes called network elements, the managed devices can be any type of device, including, but not limited to, [[router (computing)|router]]s, [[access server]]s, [[Network switch|switches]], [[cable modems]], [[Network bridge|bridge]]s, [[Ethernet hub|hub]]s, [[IP telephone]]s, [[IP video camera]]s, computer [[Host (network)|host]]s, and [[Computer printer|printer]]s.

An ''agent'' is a network-management software module that resides on a managed device. An agent has local knowledge of management information and translates that information to or from an SNMP-specific form.

A ''network management station'' executes applications that monitor and control managed devices. NMSs provide the bulk of the processing and memory resources required for network management. One or more NMSs may exist on any managed network.