SNMPv2's properties

[MARTIN USHER <[e-mail]>]

Yesterday's note seemed to have touched off a small firestorm (or at least
twinged a nerve or two). Speaking as a commercial user that uses SNMP as
a means to an end rather than an end itself I have some questions about the
direction of this technology.

"The success of SNMPv1 has brought us a problem because our customers
expect it in everything and they don't expect any cost or performance
impact because of it. We are now looking at systems where there might
be thousands of managed nodes and several management stations and it is
clear that the current methodology is just not going to work. On the
surface v2 looks as if it is extending current methodology without
addressing these performance issues.

"What we need is somthing that has these properties:-

- A low processing and storage overhead in each managed node.

- A reliable communications mechanism between the manager and the
        managed node.

- An ability to originate management reports from the managed node (i.e.
        eliminate polling).

- An ability to work with several management stations in a controlled manner.

"These problems are not new and seem to have been addressed by IBM in its
LAN management scheme. ( (a) is this CMIP? and (b) I will wash my mouth
out with soap in a minute. )

"Current SNMP has two major failings - its got a low information to overhead
ratio and its designed to be polled. Its locus of control is also the
management station so it lacks the inherent capability to support multiple
managers. These are significant issues and they could be at least as
important as notions like security. Does v2 address them?