How SNMP Processes a Notification Configuration

In order to send a trap or inform notification requested by a MIB code, the SNMP agent requires the equivalent of a trap “door”, a “key” to unlock the door, and a “procedure” for crossing the doorstep. To determine if all these elements are in place, the SNMP agent processes a device configuration as follows:

1. Determines if the “keys” for trap “doors” do exist. The key that SNMP is looking for is the notification entry created with the set snmp notify command.
2. Searches for the doors matching such a key and verifies that the door is available. If so, this door is tagged or bound to the notification entry. It was built using the set snmp targetaddr command, which specifies the management station IP address to which this door leads, and the “procedure” (targetparams) to cross the doorstep
3. Verifies that the description of how to step through the door is, in fact, there. The agent checks targetparams entries and determines this description was made with the set snmp targetparams command, which tells exactly which SNMP protocol to use and what community or user name to provide.
4. Verifies that the specified name, configured using either the set snmp community or set snmp user command is available.
5. Sends the notification message to the target address.