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What do I need to start developing applications and applets in Java using the AdventNet SNMP package?
I am able to execute the example applications but I am not getting results. What should I do?
I do not have access to an SNMPv3 agent, but I want to test the SNMPv3 features. What should I do?
1. What is AdventNet SNMP API?
AdventNet SNMP API is a set of class libraries in Java for writing the network management applets and applications.
2. What can I do with this product?
This package can be used to develop SNMP management applications to manage SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, and SNMPv3 agents and talk to agent systems using any of the three versions at the same time.
3. What operating systems does it run on?
The product is developed in Java and therefore it is platform independent. You can use the product in any operating system with the JDK port of that particular OS. On our part, we have tested the product in the following platforms.
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows 2000
Windows NT
RedHat Linux 6.x
RedHat Linux 7.x
RedHat Linux 8.x
RedHat Linux Enterprise 4
Solaris 7
Solaris 8
Solaris 9
Solaris 10
The JDK versions supported are 1.2 and above. However, MibBrowser will work only with JDK 1.2.2 and above.
4. How do I start using this package?
AdventNet SNMP API distribution consists of the following.
SNMP API - a set of class libraries in Java to build SNMP management applications.
The product distribution also includes various example applications and applets. It provides a hierarchy of Java packages for SNMP, MIBs, beans, UI/Swing, RMI, CORBA, and EJB, which helps in developing various non-UI and UI applications. The com.adventnet.snmp.ui package provides a number of useful Bean components that can be used in developing management GUI applications. The MibBrowser application is one such application that is developed using this API library.
5. What do I need to start developing applications and applets in Java using the AdventNet SNMP package?
You need the Java Developers Kit (JDK-1.1.6 and above) to develop applications and applets using this AdventNet SNMP package. In addition, you need to download and setup the AdventNet SNMP package classes.
6. What are the platforms for which JDK is available?
JDK is available on a number of platforms, including Solaris, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, MacOS, HP-UX, Linux, AIX, and OS/2 from different sources. You can also use one of the Java development tools, such as Symantec Cafe, JBuilder, MS Visual J++, etc. which provides the JDK functionality.
7. How do I run the various example applications provided?
The product distribution includes various example applications in the following directories.
examples/applications/ - contains examples which uses Beans package.
examples/uiapplications/ - contains examples which uses ui package.
examples/low_level_api_examples/snmpapps/ - contains examples which uses snmp2 package, with UDP as the underlying protocol.
examples/low_level_api_examples/mibapps/ - contains examples which uses mibs package.
examples/low_level_api_examples/tcpapps/ - contains examples which uses snmp2 package, with TCP as the underlying protocol.
examples/sasapps/ - contains examples which uses sas package.
examples/httpapps/ - contains examples which uses HTTP tunelling.
examples/rmiclient/ - contains examples which uses rmi package.
examples/corbaclient/ - contains examples which uses corba package.
examples/ejbclient/- contains examples which uses ejb package.
Examples include applications, such as snmpget, and snmpgetnext. Multiple versions of these applications are available in different directories. You can use them to query information from the SNMP agents on your network. All the applications that are used to query an agent have identical syntax. In general, all the command line tools gives help information when you type the following.
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java command-name |
For example, to get help information on the command snmpgetnext, type:
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java snmpgetnext |
To compile or execute the application, you have to set the CLASSPATH to the current directory and the classes directory. You have to run setenv.bat (Windows) or setenv.sh (Unix) to set the JAVA_HOME and CLASSPATH environment variables.
8. I am able to execute the example applications but I am not getting results. What should I do?
If you get a timeout error after executing the application, the remote host given by you might not have an SNMP agent running on it. The agent should be running on the system on which you are querying. Therefore, install an SNMP agent in the machine or try on some other host which has the SNMP agent. Your network administrator might know more about this. In general, routers, ethernet switches, and network printers have the SNMP agent. You can try querying these devices.
9. How do I view and use the various example applets?
You need a Java-enabled web browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer or the JDK appletviewer. Sun's Java plug-in is required to test/view the applets which use swing or JFC components. The standard Netscape 4.x or IE 4.x browsers do not support JFC classes. Applets which do not use swing components can be tested using standard web browsers.
10. Why do the applets fail to work in my browsers?
If you want to load the Java classes and applet HTML file locally from your own file system, you need to invoke your web browser with your CLASSPATH set. Otherwise, the applet fails. The applet has to be loaded from the code base in your HTML file and this code base directory should be in the CLASSPATH. If you want to load the classes over the network, Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer do not allow any communication except to the host from where you have loaded your applet. In order to get this to work, you need to use the SNMP Applet Server (SAS) on your applet host (web server) or use HTTP tunneling.
11. What is the difference between SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, and SNMPv3?
SNMPv1 is the original protocol and framework which is described in RFCs 1155 and 1157.
SNMPv2c is the revised protocol which includes improvements to SNMPv1 in the areas of protocol packet types, transport mappings, and MIB structure elements. However, it uses the existing SNMPv1 administration structure ("community-based" and hence SNMPv2c).
SNMPv3 defines the secure version of the SNMP. SNMPv3 also facilitates remote configuration of the SNMP entities which makes remote administration of SNMP entities a much simpler task.
12. Which versions of SNMP are supported by AdventNet SNMP API?
The AdventNet SNMP API distribution supports v1 ,v2c, and v3 versions of SNMP. The communication and MIB portions of the AdventNet SNMP API conform to the following Internet RFC specifications.
SNMPv1 - RFC 1155 and RFC 1157
SNMPv2c - RFC 1901 and RFC 1907
SNMPv3 - RFC 2571 and RFC 2572
SNMPv3 User-based Security Model (USM) - RFC 2574
SNMPv3 View-based Access Control Model (VACM) - RFC 2575
Co-existence between SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, SNMPv3 - RFC 2576
Notification Filtering and Proxy Forwarding - RFC 2573
SNMPv3 adds support for authentication and security features to SNMPv2c. It is backward compatible with SNMPv1 and SNMPv2c. In particular, AdventNet SNMPv3 API supports all three versions of the protocol. With SNMPv1 and v2c, SNMP provides a very minimal level of security through the community string, which is sent as clear text to the agent. With SNMPv3, much stronger authentication mechanisms can be used.
Due to these improved security features, device vendors can now provide a device configuration as well as monitoring. It also becomes possible to attach Java SNMPv3 agents to your applications and provide secure applications management.
14. I don't have access to an SNMPv3 agent, but I want to test the SNMPv3 features. What should I do?
If you do not have an SNMPv3 agent running on your network, you can use the snmpgw (examples/low_level_api_examples/snmpapps/snmpgw.java) application available with this package to have a secure access to your SNMPv1/v2c agents. It acts as a forwarding application between SNMPv3 management application and SNMPv1/v2c agent system.
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