Hi,
Im on a cobalt raq4 server and in the control panel > Network, there is a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Agent option that I have unchecked, what is this option, what does it do, should it be setup on my server?

Thanks
Bbox

OK, we're getting down and dirty here.

SNMP is a TCP/IP (networking) protocol which allows you to monitor network packets coming into your RaQ and out (so like traffic coming in from your visitors and your sites being served on your RaQ). It's quite useful for tracking down network bottlenecks and any other connectivity problems should you encounter them.

That said, having never used a RaQ4 before I can't comment on what it specifically can do (and can't do), but the above should give you a reasonably good idea of what it does.

Not quite, BC.

SNMP is a UDP/IP (networking, but not the same as TCP) protocol. It is short for "Simple Network Management Protocol." It can be used to monitor network packets coming into and out of your rack, but it is not limited to that. Depending on the SNMP server's capabilities, it can also show CPU and memory usage, routing information, and a whole slew of other things. There are thousands of standard data items that can be monitored, and there's a vendor specific item called "enterprises" where a vendor can stuff anything they want.

I don't imagine that the raq has a whole lot of items built into the SNMP server, but unless you plan to set up a monitoring program for SNMP, you really ought to turn it off...

Thanks for the clarification. I knew I got it wrong somewhere :rolleyes: Back to the networking basics book again.....