What does SNMP allow administrators to do?

SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol, is designed specifically for network monitoring and management. It allows administrators to query remote network devices for information, enabling them to gather important data about the status and performance of various networked components such as routers, switches, and servers. This capability is essential for maintaining the health and efficiency of a network, as it helps in identifying issues, monitoring traffic, and understanding device performance.

The protocol operates by allowing an administrator to send requests to network devices, prompting them to return information such as performance metrics, error rates, and device configurations. This information is crucial for troubleshooting and ensuring that devices are functioning optimally. Through SNMP, administrators can effectively manage and oversee network resources from a centralized location.

While querying local devices for configuration and monitoring specific software like antivirus may seem relevant to network management tasks, these are not the primary functions of SNMP. The focus of SNMP is distinctly on the remote monitoring and management of network devices.