CONFIGURE THE SNMP SERVICE

The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) service included with Windows enables Windows workstations to respond to requests from SNMP applications across the network for status and configuration data and, if properly configured, to set local configuration settings. If you're looking at implementing an SNMP management application, you'll need to configure SNMP on each target workstation.

The first step is to add the SNMP service. Run the Add/Remove Programs applet in the Control Panel, click Add/Remove Windows Components, and add SNMP from the Management And Monitoring Tools group.

Next, you need to configure the SNMP service, which Setup has added and started. Open the Services console and double-click SNMP Service. The properties for this service include the same four tabs as other services, but you'll also find three additional tabs: Agent, Traps, and Security.

Use the Agent tab to specify contact information for the target computer and to specify which items are reported to the management system. On the Traps tab, add the community names for any SNMP communities that the workstation will be participating in. In the Trap destinations list, add the IP addresses or host names of the computers that will receive notifications.

Next, turn your attention to the Security tab. Here you specify the community names and the associated rights for which the computer will respond. Configure these based on the management system in place. Choose the option Accept SNMP packets from any host to allow the computer to respond to all SNMP requests, regardless of origin. For better security, choose the option Accept SNMP packets from these hosts to limit the hosts from which the SNMP service will respond.