CLI Reference Guide-R07

Chapter 1 | Initial Switch Configuration
Enabling SNMP Management Access
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The switch includes an SNMP agent that supports SNMP version 1, 2c, and 3 clients.
To provide management access for version 1 or 2c clients, you must specify a
community string. The switch provides a default MIB View (i.e., an SNMPv3
construct) for the default “public” community string that provides read access to
the entire MIB tree, and a default view for the “private” community string that
provides read/write access to the entire MIB tree. However, you may assign new
views to version 1 or 2c community strings that suit your specific security
requirements (see snmp-server view command).
Community Strings (for SNMP version 1 and 2c clients)
Community strings are used to control management access to SNMP version 1 and
2c stations, as well as to authorize SNMP stations to receive trap messages from the
switch. You therefore need to assign community strings to specified users, and set
the access level.
The default strings are:
◆ public - with read-only access. Authorized management stations are only able
to retrieve MIB objects.
◆ private - with read/write access. Authorized management stations are able to
both retrieve and modify MIB objects.
To prevent unauthorized access to the switch from SNMP version 1 or 2c clients, it is
recommended that you change the default community strings.
To configure a community string, complete the following steps:
1. From the Privileged Exec level global configuration mode prompt, type “snmp-
server community string mode,” where “string” is the community access string
and “mode” is rw (read/write) or ro (read only). Press <Enter>. (Note that the
default mode is read only.)
2. To remove an existing string, simply type “no snmp-server community string,”
where “string” is the community access string to remove. Press <Enter>.
Console(config)#snmp-server community admin rw
Console(config)#snmp-server community private
Console(config)#
Note: If you do not intend to support access to SNMP version 1 and 2c clients, we
recommend that you delete both of the default community strings. If there are no
community strings, then SNMP management access from SNMP v1 and v2c clients
is disabled.