The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is used by network hosts to exchange information in the management of networks. SNMP is defined in several Requests for Comments (RFCs) available from the Network Information Center at SRI International, Menlo Park, California.
The following RFCs define SNMP:
| RFC 1155 | Structure and Identification of Management Information for TCP/IP-based Internets |
| RFC 1157 | A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) |
| RFC 1213 | Management Information Base for Network Management of TCP/IP-based internets: MIB-II |
| RFC 1227 | Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) single multiplexer (SMUX) protocol and Management Information Base (MIB) |
| RFC 1229 | Extensions to the Generic-Interface Management Information Base (MIB) |
| RFC 1231 | IEEE 802.5 Token Ring Management Information Base (MIB) |
| RFC 1398 | Definitions of Managed Objects for the Ethernet-like Interface Types |
| RFC 1512 | FDDI Management Information Base (MIB) |
| RFC 1514 | Host Resources Management Information Base (MIB) |
| RFC 1592 | Simple Network Management Protocol Distributed Protocol Interface Version 2.0 |
| RFC 1907 | Management Information Base for Version 2 of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv2) |
| RFC 2572 | Message Processing and Dispatching for the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) |
| RFC 2573 | SNMP Applications |
| RFC 2574 | User-based Security Model (USM) for version 3 of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv3) |
| RFC 2575 | View-based Access Control Model (VACM) for the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) |
SNMP network management is based on the familiar client-server model that is widely used in Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)-based network applications. Each managed host runs a process called an agent. The agent is a server process that maintains the MIB database for the host. Hosts that are involved in network management decision-making may run a process called a manager. A manager is a client application that generates requests for MIB information and processes responses. In addition, a manager may send requests to agent servers to modify MIB information.