SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)

Definition:
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an application layer protocol that facilitates the exchange of management information between network devices. It is part of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol suite.

Three versions of SNMP exist: SNMP version 1 (SNMPv1) which is widely used and is the de facto network-management protocol in the Internet community and SNMP versions 2 and 3 (SNMPv2 or SNMPv3).  All versions have a number of features in common, but SNMPv2 and SNMPv3 offers enhancements.

Basic Components:
An SNMP-managed network consists of three key components: management application (FMAudit applications), agents (printers, copiers, MFPS, FMAudit Agent), and network-management systems (NMSs).

SNMP Management Information Base:
A Management Information Base (MIB) is a collection of information that is organized hierarchically. MIBs are accessed using a network-management protocol such as SNMP. They are comprised of managed objects and are identified by object identifiers.

A managed object (sometimes called a MIB object, an object, or a MIB) is one of any number of specific characteristics of a managed device. Managed objects are comprised of one or more object instances, which are essentially variables.

An object identifier (or object ID) uniquely identifies a managed object in the MIB hierarchy. The MIB hierarchy can be depicted as a tree with a nameless root, the levels of which are assigned by different organizations.

FMAudit Audit Process:
FMAudit discovers, audits and extracts information from networked printers, copiers and MFP's using SNMP.

Although SNMP Commands support both read and write operations, FMAudit Onsite is the only FMAudit application that writes to networked devices.  These fields include the Location, Description and Asset No used for identification purposes, i.e. Equip ID.  Other FMAudit applications do not modify any default or custom device settings.