Using the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager

The SNMP Agent Configuration Manager allows you to configure the MIB tables associated with the SNMP agent. For more information about MIB tables, see Management Information Base (MIB). These tables include the Community table, the Trap Forwarding table, and the Server Access table.

This tool is required when a third-party SNMP manager is not able to create a new MIB table entry for the SNMP agent. Most SNMP managers already have this functionality built in, but some do not. If you use an SNMP manager that does not allow you to configure MIB tables, you must use the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager to configure the MIB table associated with the SNMP agent. Even if your SNMP manager does have MIB table configuration capabilities, this tool is recommended for configuring the WebSphere InterChange Server SNMP agent.

Note:
The WebSphere InterChange Server SNMP solution is metadata driven; therefore, you need define only the servers to monitor, not the specific connectors or collaborations.

This section covers the following topics:

Installing the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager

Steps for starting the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager

Steps for connecting to the SNMP agent

Steps for configuring community names

Steps for configuring trap forwarding entries

Steps for configuring server access entries

Steps for configuring RBAC security

Installing the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager

When you install the SNMP agent, the installer automatically installs the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager. For instructions on installing the SNMP agent, refer to the System Installation Guide for UNIX or for Windows.

Steps for starting the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager

Perform the following steps to start the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager, depending on your operating system:
UNIX

Run the start_snmpconfig.bat script located in the ProductDir/bin directory.

The SNMP Agent Configuration Manager appears.

Before you can begin editing the MIB table, you must connect to the SNMP agent. See Steps for connecting to the SNMP agent for instructions.

Note:
The SNMP Agent Configuration Manager must be run on the same machine as the SNMP agent.

Steps for connecting to the SNMP agent

Perform the following steps to connect the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager to a running SNMP agent:

  1. Start the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager. For instructions, see Steps for starting the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager.
  2. Enter information in the following fields of the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager window:
  3. Click Connect. When the SNMP Agent Configuration Manager connects to the SNMP agent, the Agent Host, Port, and Community fields become disabled, and the Connect button changes to a Disconnect button.

Steps for configuring community names

The Community tab lists the communities that exist for the connected SNMP agent. The table has three entries:

Adding community names

You add community names to the MIB table when you want to give new users permission to manage system components.

Perform the following steps to add a community name:

  1. From the Community tab, click Add. The Community Table Item dialog box appears.
  2. Type a community name in the Community Name field.
    Note:
    Each community name must be unique in the network.
  3. Select the type of access for the new community from the Access drop-down menu. The choices are "read-write" or "read-only."
  4. The Row Status drop-down menu is not configurable when adding a community name. The default setting is "create & go."
  5. Click OK. The new community name appears in the Community table with the Row Status set to Active.

Editing community names

You edit community names when you want to change the type of access or row status of a registered community name.

Perform the following steps to edit a community name:

  1. From the Community tab, select the community name from the Community Name column, then click Edit. The Community Table Item dialog box appears.
    Note:
    You cannot edit the community name.
  2. Change the type of access from the Access drop-down menu. The choices are "read-write" or "read-only."
  3. Change the status by selecting one of the following options from the Row Status drop-down menu:
  4. Click OK. Any changes you made appear in the Community table.

Removing community names

You remove community names when you want to completely delete them from the MIB table.

Perform the following steps to remove a community name:

  1. From the Community tab, select the community name from the Community Name column.
  2. Click Remove. The community name is removed from the table.

Steps for configuring trap forwarding entries

A trap is an asynchronous notification sent by the SNMP agent to the SNMP manager whenever the status of a component in the managed device has changed and the SNMP manager has expressed interest in such status changes.

When a trap is sent, the SNMP Agent notifies the designated host:port specified in the Trap Forwarding Table and logs the trap name, for example, collabTrapEventsLongTime, as well as the connector application name, connector server name and connector application statur. A monitoring network manager receives the trap, which triggers a response, for example, sending email to the System Administrator.

The Trap Forwarding table has four entries:

Table 7 list the SNMP Traps that exist in InterChange Server.

Table 7. SNMP Traps
Trap Type Variables Desription Trap ID
serverTrapStatus serverName,
serverStatus
Generated when a server starts or stops 1
collabTrapStatus collabName, collabServerName, collabStatus Generated when a collaboration starts or stops 2
collabTrapEventsFailed collabName, collabServerName, collabEventsTrgdFlwFailed Generated when event fails on collaboration 3
collabTrapEventsLongTime collabName, collabServerName Generated when an event takes longer than a specified time on collaboration 4
connTrapAgentStatus connName,
connServerName, connAgentStatus
Generated when a connector agent's status is changed 5
connTrapStatus connName,
connServerName,
connStatus
Generated when a connector status is changed 6
connTrapAppStatus connName,
connServerName, connAppStatus
Generated when a connector application's status is changed 7

Adding trap forwarding entries

You add trap forwarding entries to the MIB table when you want to register a server as the recipient of information gathered by the SNMP agent.

Perform the following steps to add a trap forwarding entry to the MIB table:

  1. From the Trap Forwarding tab, click Add. The Trap Forwarding Table Item dialog box appears.
  2. In the Trap ID field, type an integer.
    Note:
    Each Trap ID must be unique in the network.
  3. In the Manager Host field, type the host name or IP address of the machine where the SNMP manager runs.
    Note:
    For UNIX users who use the host name, be sure to use the correct case.
  4. In the Trap Port field, type the port number that the SNMP manager uses to listen to traps.
  5. The Row Status drop-down menu is not configurable when adding a trap forwarding entry. The default setting is "create & go."
  6. Click OK. The new trap forwarding entry appears in the Trap Forwarding table with the Row Status set to Active.

Editing trap forwarding entries

You edit trap forwarding entries when you want to change the Manager Host, Trap Port, or Row Status information of registered trap forwarding entries.

Perform the following steps to edit an existing trap forwarding entry:

  1. In the Trap Forwarding tab, select a Trap ID, then click Edit. The Trap Forwarding Table Item dialog box appears.
    Note:
    You cannot edit the Trap ID.
  2. Change the Manager Host by typing a different host name or IP address of the machine where the SNMP manager runs.
    Note:
    For UNIX users who use the host name, be sure to use the correct case.
  3. Change the Trap Port by typing a different port number that the SNMP manager uses to listen to traps.
  4. Change the Row Status of the trap forwarding entry by selecting one of the following options from the Row Status drop-down menu:
  5. Click OK. Any changes you made appear in the Trap Forwarding table.

Removing trap forwarding entries

You remove trap forwarding entries when you want to completely remove them from the MIB table.

Perform the following steps to remove a trap forwarding entry:

  1. From the Trap Forwarding tab, select the Trap ID you want to remove.
  2. Click Remove. The trap forwarding entry is removed from the Trap Forwarding table.

Steps for configuring server access entries

The server access entries allow you to link specific SNMP managers with specific InterChange Servers to be managed. The table has three entries:

Adding server access entries

Perform the following steps to create a new server access:

  1. From the Server Access tab, click Add. The Server Access Table Item dialog box appears.
  2. In the Manager Host field, type the host name or IP address of the machine where the SNMP manager runs.
    Note:
    For UNIX users who use the host name, be sure to use the correct case.
  3. In the WebSphere InterChange Server field, type the InterChange Server name or IP address.
    Note:
    For UNIX users who use the host name, be sure to use the correct case.
  4. The Row Status drop-down menu is not configurable when adding a Server Access entry. It is set to "create & go."
  5. Click OK. The new server access entry is added to the Server Access table, with the Row Status set to "not in service."

Editing server access entries

You edit the server access entries of the MIB table when you want to change the row status of the server access entries.

Perform the following steps to edit a server access entry, do the following:

  1. From the Server Access tab, select a Manager Host, then click Edit.
  2. Change the status, select one of the following options from the Row Status drop-down menu:
  3. Click OK. Any changes you made appear in the Server Access table.

Removing server access entries

You remove server access entries when you want to completely delete them from the MIB table.

Perform the following steps to remove a server access entry:

  1. From the Server Access tab, select the server access entry you want to remove.
  2. Click Remove. The Server Access entry is removed from the Server Access table.

Steps for configuring RBAC security

Role-based access control (RBAC) supports multiple users and enhanced security features based on roles. A role is a collection of users who share common functionality. Assigning functions into roles allows the administrator to work more effectively by reducing the burden on the administrator during the assignment of permissions.

Due to the addition of RBAC functionality, the SNMP agent now allows the input of usernames and passwords to help administer these roles. If RBAC security is enabled on InterChange Server, a user must specify a username and password to connect to the InterChange Server.

The RBAC Security table has four entries:

Adding RBAC security entries

You add RBAC security entries to the MIB table to connect the SNMP agent to the InterChange Server when RBAC security is enabled.

Perform the following steps to add an RBAC security entry to the MIB table:

  1. From the RBAC Security tab, click Add. The RBAC Security Table Item dialog box appears.
  2. In the WebSphere ICS field, type an integer.
  3. In the Username field, type the username assigned to the role.
  4. In the Password field, type the password assigned to the username.
  5. The Row Status drop-down menu is not configurable when adding an RBAC security entry. It is set to "create & go."
  6. Click OK. The new RBAC security entry appears in the RBAC security table with the Row Status set to Active.

Editing RBAC security entries

You edit RBAC security entries when you want to change the Username, Password or Row Status information of registered RBAC security entries.

Perform the following steps to edit an existing RBAC security entry:

  1. In the RBAC Security tab, select a Username, then click Edit. The RBAC Security Table Item dialog box appears.
  2. Change the Username by typing a different username in the available space.
  3. Change the Password by typing a different password in the available space.
  4. Change the Row Status of the RBAC security entry by selecting one of the following options from the Row Status drop-down menu:
  5. Click OK. Any changes you made appear in the RBAC Security table.

Removing trap forwarding entries

You remove RBAC security entries when you want to completely remove them from the MIB table.

Perform the following steps to remove a RBAC security entry:

  1. From the RBAC Security tab, select the Trap ID you want to remove.
  2. Click Remove. The RBAC security entry is removed from the RBAC Security table.

Copyright IBM Corp. 1997, 2004