What is SilverCreek?

SilverCreek is a software product designed to test implementations of the Simple Network Management Protocol and standard and private MIBs (Management Information Bases). SilverCreek uses small, single function tests to exercise one or a small number of parameters. The syntactic tests verify protocol compliance, error and exception handling, and boundary condition behavior. The semantic tests verify performance, trap, alert, and event handling, counter accuracy, security, and many other implementation specific areas.

The tests make use of an SNMP engine written in C++. The testing interface is written in the interpretive Tcl/Tk language, so that you can modify or extend the tests for your own purposes. The test suites included with SilverCreekand its extensions comprise more than 1000 individual tests.

What you need to know about SNMP compliance testing

Whether your job is to find SNMP bugs or to fix them, the SilverCreek series of SNMP test suites is your most valuable ally. It’s so easy to use, anyone who can navigate a graphical user interface can quickly run a battery of more than 1,000 individual, comprehensive tests designed with the help of Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) experts to detect and diagnose a broad spectrum of SNMPv1, v2c, and v3 problems. Yet, it’s so powerful, extensible, and flexible, power users who know their way around a command-line interface can create the ideal solution for virtually any testing environment.

Point and click testing with the power of SilverCreek

The SilverCreek series proves that a powerful SNMP test suite doesn’t have to be difficult to use. A graphical user interface (GUI) allows users to automatically run all SilverCreek tests and save the results by pointing and clicking. The GUI also harnesses the powerful Test Suite Manager to simplify test customization, organization, and management.

Using the SilverCreek management information base (MIB) browser is just as easy. Clicking on any leaf automatically launches the SNMP Command Tool, which allows users to view the contents of the agent’s object identifier (OID) tree and issue GETs and SETs. Because the MIB browser combines SNMP GET and NEXT requests on modified object identifiers, it discovers MIB branches in a manner that is more efficient, more thorough, and more accurate than the average MIB walk. Combined with the MIB Lookup Tool and support for private MIBs, the SilverCreek MIB Browser boosts productivity to new levels.

As official as can be

The SilverCreek series was developed and refined by InterWorking Labs, Inc. with the help of our Advisory Board, which comprises key SNMP technology experts from the IETF. Three times per year, we attend the IETF meeting, comment on drafts in progress, and evaluate interoperability issues with other participants. The outcome of these meetings, as well as more than ten years of knowledge and experience gained working with leading SNMP authorities, is reflected in our products. So, you get the most accurate, credible, and comprehensive test suites possible.

SilverCreek - The Official SNMP Test suite

All the tests and tools to find and fix bugs in your SNMP agent implementations and private MIBs. Tcl script source code is provided for the tests for easy customization and maximum flexibility for developers. Includes single CPU license, Developer's Guide and one year support. (Solaris, Linux, and Windows)

SilverCreek, the #1 selling SNMP testing software, is used by design engineers, product developers, and quality assurance engineers to find and fix bugs in their SNMP implementations.

A rich toolset

For probing, sniffing, and inspecting individual objects, components or subsystems of your product's SNMP implementation, the toolset includes:

• a MIB browser that actively probes the agent for the true value of objects
• a MIB compiler that allows you to add, compile, and automatically test your private MIB, or any IETF MIB
• a Command Tool for issuing SNMP SET, GET, and GET-NEXT commands
• an ODBC (Open Data Base Connection) tool, a powerful way to process test results and generate reports.
• a Command Script Wizard to build complicated SNMP commands, generate and store requests as scripts and reload them.
• a MIB Lookup Tool for quick and convenient access to information about a MIB object. Provides basic information such as descriptor name, OID, syntax, access, status, and index.
• a MIB Scope Tool to isolate a portion of the agent's objects to focus testing on a specific set of objects
• a Trap Monitor to visually examine the contents of all traps
• a Trap Tester that works with the Trap Monitor to verify syntax, ordering, and correct indexing of the incoming event.
• a Command Line Interface that allows command line SNMP requests outside of the SilverCreek application
• a Packet Monitor that demonstrates the flow of traffic to an and from the agent under test in three output types: octet, pseudo-ASN.1, and/or summary. This facilitates debugging as all the low level traffic may be examined and analyzed.
• the Diffie-Hellman (DH) key ignition and key change test module validates support for DH key agreement (as specified in the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification).

SilverCreek is available on:

• Solaris
• Windows 98/NT/2000/XP (Intel)
• Red Hat Linux (Intel, Red Hat 7.1 and later)

RFC References

You will find these RFCs in the SilverCreek installation directory. For additional Standard IETF track MIBs, visit http://www.ietf.org/rfc.html.

RFC 1155 Simple Network Management Protocol, Version 1 Structure and Identification of Management Information, SNMPv1

RFC 1157 Simple Network Management Protocol, Version 1

RFC1213 Management Information Base II

RFC 2790 Host Resources MIB

RFC 1901 Introduction to Community-based SNMPv2

RFC 3416 Protocol Operations for SNMPv2

RFC 3417 Transport Mappings for SNMPv2

RFC 3418 Management Information Base for SNMPv2

RFC 1910 User-based Security Model for SNMPv2

RFC 2011 SNMPv2 Management Information Base for the Internet Protocol using SMIv2

RFC 2012 SNMPv2 Management Information Base for the Transmission Control Protocol using SMIv2

RFC 2013 SNMPv2 Management Information Base for the User Datagram Protocol using SMIv2

RFC 2096 IP Forwarding Table MIB

RFC 2863 The Interfaces Group MIB using SMIv2

RFC 3410 Introduction to Version 3 of the Internet-standard Network Management Framework

RFC 3411 An Architecture for Describing SNMP Management Frameworks

RFC 3412 Message Processing and Dispatching for the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

RFC 3413 SNMP Applications

RFC 3414 User-based Security Model (USM) for version 3 of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv3)

RFC 3415 View-based Access Control Model (VACM) for the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

RFC 2571 An Architecture for Describing SNMP Management Frameworks

RFC 2572 Message Processing and Dispatching for the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

RFC 2573 SNMP Applications

RFC 2574 User-based Security Model (USM) for version 3 of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv3)

RFC 2575 View-based Access Control Model (VACM) for the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

RFC 2576 Coexistence between Version 1, Version 2, and Version 3 of the Internet-standard Network Management Framework.

RFC 2578 Structure of Management Information Version 2 (SMIv2)

RFC 2579 Textual Conventions for SMIv2

RFC 2580 Conformance Statements for SMIv2

RFC 2665 Definitions of Managed Objects for the Ethernet-like Interface Types

RFC 2786 Diffie-Helman USM Key Management Information Base and Textual Convention 

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