Description

The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a light-weight protocol designed for remote management and monitoring of infrastructure devices. The Scalar i3 & i6 libraries provide SNMP support so you can use a framework application to monitor the status of the library. Using SNMP, you can be alerted of numerous library events.

SNMP Functionality Available to Remote Applications

The Scalar i3 & i6 libraries support standard SNMP functionality, including GET queries and unicast traps (which can be sent only to registered recipients), that enables you to monitor library status from a remote application. SET commands are currently not enabled on either library.

Specific library SNMP characteristics include:

• Supports SNMP v1, v2c and v3. The timeout for all SNMP requests to the library must be at 10 seconds or greater (command line parameter-t).

• Supports SNMP v1 traps as defined by RFC 1157.

• SMIv2 compliance only

• Usage of port 161 for GET queries

• Default community read/trap strings: publicCmtyStr (see SNMP Community Strings on page 5)

• Trap Registration interface in the library’s remote web client, which enables you to configure application IP addresses, transport protocols, and user-configurable UDP port numbers to receive traps

Accessing SNMP Information

SNMP information can be obtained from the libraries using traps and GET queries. Using the information contained in this guide, library administrators can configure their framework application to generate alerts to receive library SNMP information.

By default, most SNMP information is returned as an integer value (library partition names, however, are returned as string values). You can, however, configure the framework application to return status information as a string value, which provides a description of the status.

SNMPv3

Although Quantum Scalar i3 & i6 Libraries support SNMP version 1 and version 2c for MIB information retrieval, we strongly recommend that you access the library using SNMP version 3 (SNMPv3). SNMPv3 is the most secure of the three versions, as it supports message digest 5, or MD5, as its authentication protocol.

To access the library for SNMP support, use the following values as needed in the remote management application:

User name: Admin

Context name: (None. Leave this field blank.)

Authentication protocol: MD5

Privacy protocol: (None. Leave this field blank.)

Password: Your Admin password

For secure access to the library using SNMP, disable SNMPv1 and SNMPv2c access from the WebGUI or via the respective RESTful Web Services configuration method. For more information, see the Scalar i3 & i6 Documentation Centers.

SNMP Traps

Traps enable alerts to be sent automatically to registered hosts when specific events occur. Only one application per UDP port can listen for traps.

Scalar i3 & i6 libraries support SNMP v1 traps as defined by RFC 1157.

The library is set to report SNMP traps using v1.

To receive traps, you must perform two steps:

1. Configure your framework application to collect traps from the libraries.

2. Using the library’s SNMP Trap Registrations feature, register the host’s IP address, transport protocol, and UDP port number.

   Registration informs the libraries to send traps to the host.

For additional details about registering a host with the libraries, refer to the Scalar i3 & i6 Documentation Centers.

SNMP Queries

SNMP queries, or GET queries, can be initiated on a periodic basis by the framework application. By querying the MIB, hosts can gather status information about specific components of the library.The timeout for all SNMP requests to the library must be at 10 seconds or greater (command line parameter-t).

Caution: As with any SNMP device, excessive MIB queries can result in performance degradation for the SNMP daemon, as well as for the network.

GETs must also include an instance ID. The instance identifies a specific device from which you can retrieve status information. For example, to determine if the second partition on a library is online, access the MIB variable for logical library online status and select the instance for partition 2.

SNMP Community Strings

A SNMP community string is a text string that acts as a password to authenticate messages sent between the SNMP remote management application and the device (the SNMP agent on the library). SNMP Get and Get-next requests are valid only if the community string in the request matches the community string at the device. If the community strings do not match, either modify the community string at the device so that it is the string that the management station expects, or modify the management station so that it uses the device’s community strings.

The community string is included in every SNMPv1 and SNMPv2c packet transmitted between the SNMP manager and the SNMP agent. This string is case sensitive, cannot be empty, and cannot exceed 32 characters.

To configure the SNMP community string:

1. Login to the WebGUI.

2. Go to System > SNMP.

3. Change the community string value.

4. Click Apply.

5. Click Close.

SNMP Authentication Traps

• SNMP authentication traps occur in a number of conditions. By default, this option is disabled. In particular, they can occur when the SNMP agent:

• Receives a request that does not contain the correct community name.

• Receives a request not sent from a member of the acceptable host list.

• Receives a request from a bad user name or password when using SNMP Version 3.

• Sends an authentication trap message to one or more trap destinations (management systems), indicating authentication failure.

SNMP TRAP Notifications

To configure SNMP trap notifications:

1. Login to the WebGUI.

2. Go to Notifications > Add. From the Type drop-down, select Trap.

3. Fill out the necessary fields.

4. Click Apply.

5. Click Close.