20 Simple Network Management Protocol Interview Questions and Answers

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a protocol that is used for managing and monitoring network devices. When interviewing for a position that involves SNMP, it is important to be prepared to answer questions about the protocol. In this article, we will review some of the most common SNMP interview questions and provide tips on how to answer them.

Simple Network Management Protocol Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked Simple Network Management Protocol interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What is SNMP?

SNMP is a network management protocol that allows for the monitoring and control of networked devices. SNMP uses a simple, text-based message format to communicate between devices, and can be used to monitor a wide variety of devices and systems.

2. Can you explain what an agent and a manager are in the context of SNMP?

In SNMP, an agent is a piece of software that runs on a networked device and reports information about that device to a manager. A manager is a piece of software that runs on a separate device and is responsible for collecting information from agents and presenting it in a useful way.

3. How many versions of SNMP have been released so far?

There have been four versions of SNMP released so far: SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, SNMPv3, and SNMPv4.

4. Can you name the different types of variables that can be handled by SNMP?

There are four different types of variables that can be handled by SNMP: scalar, tabular, sequence, and timestamp. Scalar variables are single-valued, while tabular variables are multi-valued. Sequence variables are ordered lists of values, while timestamp variables are used to track the time at which a particular event occurred.

5. Can you explain how to configure SNMP on Windows Server?

To configure SNMP on Windows Server, you will need to open the SNMP Service console. From there, you will need to select the Agents tab and then choose the SNMP agent you wish to configure. Once you have selected the agent, you will need to select the Security tab and then add the community name you wish to use. After adding the community name, you will need to select the Access tab and then choose the type of access you wish to allow for that community.

6. What’s the purpose of using SNMP Traps?

SNMP Traps are used to send notifications to a network management system when certain events occur. This allows for the monitoring of devices and systems in real-time, which can be helpful in troubleshooting and identifying potential issues.

7. What do you understand about the MIBs supported by SNMP?

MIBs, or Management Information Bases, are the databases used by SNMP-compliant devices to store information that can be accessed and monitored by SNMP management systems. SNMP supports a variety of different MIBs, each of which contains different information that can be useful for monitoring and managing a network.

8. Which operating systems support SNMP?

SNMP is supported by a wide variety of operating systems, including many versions of Windows, Linux, Unix, and macOS.

9. What do you know about the data model used by SNMP?

The data model used by SNMP is a hierarchical model. This means that data is organized in a tree-like structure, with each node in the tree representing a different piece of data. The SNMP data model is used to manage network devices and to monitor network activity.

10. Can you list some of the common challenges faced while implementing SNMP?

There are a few common challenges that can be faced when implementing SNMP. One is that SNMP can be resource intensive, so it is important to have a well-designed network that can handle the increased traffic. Another challenge is that SNMP can be complex to configure, so it is important to have a good understanding of the protocol before attempting to implement it. Finally, SNMP is often used for monitoring purposes, so it is important to have a plan in place for what to do with the data that is collected.

11. What is the purpose of NMS in SNMP?

The purpose of NMS in SNMP is to manage networked devices. NMS provides a centralized way to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot devices on a network.

12. What is your opinion on the security provided by SNMPv1?

SNMPv1 is not considered to be a secure protocol, as it transmits data in clear text and does not provide any authentication or encryption. This means that data sent via SNMPv1 could be intercepted and read by anyone with access to the network. SNMPv2 and SNMPv3 are both more secure versions of the protocol that provide authentication and encryption, and are thus preferred over SNMPv1.

13. Can you explain how SNMP works?

SNMP is a network management protocol that allows for the monitoring and control of network devices. It uses a simple, text-based message format to communicate between devices, and can be used to monitor a wide variety of parameters, including CPU and memory usage, traffic levels, and error rates.

14. What is the best way to monitor network devices with SNMP?

The best way to monitor network devices with SNMP is to use a network management system that is capable of collecting SNMP data and presenting it in a way that is easy to understand. There are a number of different network management systems available, so it is important to find one that meets the specific needs of your organization.

15. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using SNMP?

The advantages of using SNMP include its wide availability (it is supported by most network devices and operating systems), its ease of use, and its ability to provide a great deal of information about a network. The disadvantages of SNMP include its potential for security breaches (since it uses a simple password for authentication) and its reliance on UDP, which can lead to dropped packets.

16. What is the main difference between SNMP v1 and SNMP v2c?

The main difference between SNMP v1 and SNMP v2c is that SNMP v2c includes support for error handling and reporting, which was not present in SNMP v1. This means that if there is a problem with a request, SNMP v2c can provide information about what went wrong, which can be helpful in troubleshooting.

17. What is the syntax for retrieving NET-SNMP information from a server?

The syntax for retrieving NET-SNMP information from a server is:

snmpget -v -c

18. Do all SNMP agents use UDP port 161? If not, then why?

No, not all SNMP agents use UDP port 161. Some SNMP agents use TCP port 161 instead. The reason for this is that UDP is a connectionless protocol, which means that it does not guarantee delivery of packets. This can be a problem for SNMP, which needs to ensure that packets are delivered in order to function properly. TCP, on the other hand, is a connection-oriented protocol, which means that it does guarantee delivery of packets. This makes it a better choice for SNMP agents that need to ensure delivery of packets.

19. How many communication modes does SNMPv3 support?

SNMPv3 supports three communication modes: user-based security model (USM), transport security model (TSM), and view-based access control model (VACM).

20. Is it possible to change an OID already assigned to a variable?

No, it is not possible to change an OID already assigned to a variable.