As Application Layer protocol of the TCP/IP protocol suite, SNMP supports the exchange of network management information between host computers, typically including one or more centralized network management consoles that manage larger numbers of network elements (NEs) in real time. Defined in RFC 1157 (1990), SNMP operates over the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), thereby avoiding the overhead associated with the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).There are three versions: SNMPv1, v2, and v3. See also Application Layer, host, NE, network management, overhead, protocol, protocol suite, real time, TCP, TCP/IP, and UDP.