The SNMP Builder for C++ has a wealth of exciting features.

There are two different packages, supporting Windows 2000/NT/98/95 operating systems:

• SNMP Builder for Microsoft Visual C++ v5/v6
• SNMP Builder for Borland C++ Builder v4/v5

Both SNMP Builder packages include:

• MIB Compiler
• SNMP C++ Class Library v3.1 supporting SNMP v2c and v1
• SNMP Utilities
• Guide and Reference Manual
• Examples

The MIB Compiler with a friendly and flexible graphic user interface allows the quick and easy accomplishment of the MIB compilation process. A programmer can determine the correct order of MIBs to compile in a matter of seconds using powerful built-in error processing and file search facilities. The final step of the MIB compilation process is generation of C++ header files with MIB object definitions.

The MIB Compiler enables SNMP object references to use symbolic names. This makes programming easier and simplifies the software maintenance and modification process.

New, efficient, easy to use and versatile methods have been added to make software development even easier and more pleasant.

A table retrieval process is now literary a single method call. The SNMP class library handles all the complexities and special conditions internally, such as:

• Sparse tables (the tables with some items missing)
• Inability of some agents to return a complete row in single request because of PDU size limitations
• Table row inconsistency when a table is rapidly changing
• The necessity to code both get-next and get-bulk for optimal performance, etc.

The table retrieval methods allow retrieving either a complete table or just a subset of columns in any order. The result is delivered to a calling program as a two dimensional array of table items.

Continuing our tradition to create tools that expand your design horizon, instead of coercing you into limited choice proprietary paradigm; the programming interface was significantly improved. Many new methods were added to the SNMP class library to optimize network performance and enable handling of complex architectural choices. Here are few of the many features expanding your design choices:

• Automatic port assignment
• Ability to query ports in use
• Socket buffer size control enabling to create more robust applications
• Multi-homed machines support ( computers with more than one IP address )
• Ability to multiplex/demultiplex different operations like network discovery with MIB traversal
• Better malformed packet handling
• Multicast address handling
• Additional classes supporting table implementation for an agent
• Additional methods supporting network discovery
• Additional GUI application support

Backward Compatibility with SNMP Toolkit

The SNMP Builder is backward compatible with the SNMP Toolkit. It fully supports all the features of the SNMP Toolkit's class library:

• Automatic request retransmission
• Sending the same request to multiple destination in a single method invocation
• Sending multiple different requests to multiple destinations using a single method call
• Blocking and non-blocking operation support
• Flexible and efficient PDU header fields and variable bindings handling
• SNMP v1 and v2c support
• Numerous examples illustrating all aspects of network management software development using the SNMP class library programming interface
• Convenience to create GUI applications, console applications, services, MFC and non-MFC applications, etc.

As with the SNMP Toolkit, the SNMP Builder comes with two very useful utilities: an SNMP Sender and an SNMP Tracer. These two GUI utilities provide a much more precise and flexible interface (comparing to MIB browser) assisting in debugging of SNMP software and also in studying how the existing SNMP software works in real life applications.

The Tracer utility replaces the need for a very expensive protocol analyzers. It can display both parsed SNMP message fields (SNMP message header, PDU fields and variable binding list details) and raw message data. The trace can be saved and printed. The utility can receive on standard SNMP ports: 161 and 162, and also on non-standard ports.

The Sender utility includes a graphic editor enabling the creation of SNMP request messages with precise control of message type, header fields and variable binding list. The utility can send the requests to a specified destination, displaying the details about sent requests and received replies. The sender can send the same request multiple times to a single destination, measuring network performance and the maximum number of requests an agent can process per second. These requests can be saved and then used later on during regression testing.

The detailed programming guide and reference manual in Adobe Acrobat format contains hyperlinks which simplify the quick reference look-up and serves as an on-line help. The extensive programming guide illustrates all the aspects, features and pitfalls of using class library objects, methods and properties to achieve maximum performance, reliability and flexibility of the software being developed.

The MIB compiler became an integral part of the SNMP Builder. This powerful GUI application is able to compile SMIv1 and SMIv2 MIBs and generate C++ and Visual Basic source code. The well thought out and convenient user interface turns a tedious task of determining sequence of MIB loading into a simple game. It's very flexible and allows to view and edit MIB files using the editor of your choice. These are only few of many flexible and convenient features the compiler has.

SNMP Utilities are an integral part of all the SNMP products. These utilities are very helpful for SNMP software developing, debugging and testing. However, they are also an excellent SNMP learning and investigative tool.

The utilities have a simple and intuitive graphic user interface that helps to avoid some programming when experiments are required. With their help a developer can create and send SNMP requests in a matter of seconds.

One of the unique features includes the measuring of the network delays and the saturation point of the SNMP responder entities. This feature is very valuable for creating robust network management software.

SNMP Tracer

• SNMP Message Header Fields
• Protocol Data Unit (PDU) Fields
• Variable Binding List: Variable Types, Object Identifiers and Values
• Hex Dump of the Entire Message (Optional)

The tracer utility can listen not only on standard SNMP request port 161 and/or trap port 162, but also on any other port.

The captured trace can be saved to disk in ASCII text file or printed.

SNMP Sender

• Graphic SNMP Message Editor
• SNMP Performance Tester
• SNMP Protocol Analyzer and Display Facility

SNMP Request Editor

The Graphic SNMP Message Editor provides an easy way to use interface to construct SNMPv1 or SNMPv2 messages. The messages can then be send to one or multiple IP addresses. The sent messages and replies are displayed and the results can be saved to an ASCII file or printed.

The SNMP messages can be also saved to disk and then loaded. This feature can be used for building a set of tests especially useful for the regression testing.

SNMP Performance Testing

The constructed messages can be used with the built-in SNMP Performance Tester function that displays average network delay, packet loss and maximum throughput the responder SNMP entity can handle. This feature gives live data on WAN that helps to tune SNMP parameters such as time-out period, number of retransmissions, etc. on a per-node basis.

The Protocol Analyzer and Display Facility displays SNMP message details: header fields and variable types, object identifiers and values.