Status of this MemoThis memo provides information for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. Copyright Notice Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2003). All Rights Reserved. AbstractThis document is written for readers interested in the Internet Standard Management Framework and its protocol, the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). In particular, it offers guidance in the effective use of SNMP for configuration management. This information is relevant to vendors that build network elements, management application developers, and those that acquire and deploy this technology in their networks.

Making a living as an IT professional, I always get a terrible sinking feeling right in the midsection when that background hum of automation suddenly becomes quiet. Electrical power breathes life into every display pixel, CPU, and disk drive—and soon will do the same to Ethernet ports delivering power to devices along with data packets. Power demands our consideration in just about every implicit or explicit decision we make; and when we get it wrong, computer systems overheat and fail.