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rConfig - Device SNMP Polling

6 mins V7 Pro

Device SNMP Polling is a feature in rConfig that allows you to retrieve data from devices using SNMP protocols. This feature works by associating devices with SNMP Polling Groups, which are configured with specific SNMP OIDs and an SNMP Connection Profile.

Installation Requirements

The PHP SNMP extension is required for SNMP Polling to function correctly. Ensure that the extension is installed and enabled in your PHP configuration. You can install the extension using the following commands. Note, these scripts will work on existing CentOS, Rocky, RHEL, and Alma Linux 8/9 installations, and new installations.

CentOS / Rocky Linux Scripts

Terminal window
cd /home
yum -y install wget
wget https://www.rconfig.com/downloads/php-updates/centos-php8-update.sh -O /home/centos-php8-update.sh
chmod +x centos-php8-update.sh
./centos-php8-update.sh

How it Works

SNMP Polling operates by attaching devices to a designated SNMP Polling Group. The steps are as follows:

  1. Create SNMP OIDs: Define one or many OIDs and attach them to a specific vendor for filtering in the UI. OIDs should be pre-tested to ensure correctness. This can be done in the SNMP > SNMP OIDs section.

  2. Create an SNMP Connection: rConfig supports SNMP v2c and v3 protocols. Configure the connection details appropriately.

  3. Attach OIDs and Connection to Polling Group: Assign both the SNMP OIDs and SNMP Connection Profile to the Polling Group.

  4. Attach Polling Group to Device: Link the SNMP Polling Group to a device.

  5. You may bulk add devices to a Polling Group using the Bulk Add Devices button in the Devices Inventory view.

Once the device is part of an SNMP Polling Group, all associated OIDs will be polled for value data during each configuration backup or download for the device. These properties are stored in the database, but only the latest retrieved results are displayed in the UI and Inventory Reports.

Screenshot showing SNMP Polling configuration

Viewing SNMP Polling Logs

All events related to SNMP Polling for each device, polling group, and OID are stored in the Application Logs under Settings. Use these logs for troubleshooting and verification.

Screenshot showing application logs

Debugging SNMP Polling

After setting up SNMP Polling, a new SNMP Debug button becomes available in the Device View menu bar. This button provides a debug command that can be run via CLI to test the polling group for a specific device.

  1. Click the SNMP Debug button to copy the debug command.
  2. Run the command in the CLI to test the configuration.

Pro Tip: Use the --walk switch with the debug command to retrieve all OIDs for a device. This requires Linux-native SNMP tools to be installed.

Debug Button Debug Output

Setup Steps

Step 1: Create SNMP OIDs

  • Navigate to SNMP > SNMP OIDs.
  • Define one or more OIDs and associate them with a vendor.
  • Ensure the OIDs are pre-tested for accuracy.

Screenshot showing OID creation

Step 2: Configure an SNMP Connection

  • Navigate to SNMP > Connections.
  • Configure SNMP v2c or v3 credentials.
  • Test the connection to ensure proper setup.

Screenshot showing SNMP connection configuration Screenshot showing SNMP connection configuration

Step 3: Set Up SNMP Polling Group

  • Navigate to SNMP > Polling Groups.
  • Attach the desired SNMP OIDs and SNMP Connection Profile to the group.

Screenshot showing Polling Group configuration

Step 4: Attach Polling Group to Device

  • Navigate to a device in the Device View.
  • Attach the configured SNMP Polling Group to the device.

Screenshot showing device attachment

Troubleshooting

Before contacting support, ensure:

  • SNMP connectivity is functional.
  • The correct SNMP version and credentials (e.g., v2c public string, v3 credentials) are configured.
  • Firewalls allow SNMP traffic.
  • Application logs and debug commands are reviewed for errors.

Functionality

Polling groups are invoked during configuration backups and downloads. The latest polled data is displayed in the UI and Inventory Reports. SNMP Polling is a powerful feature that provides valuable device properties for network management and monitoring.

Conclusion

SNMP Polling in rConfig provides a robust way to retrieve and display device properties. By setting up SNMP OIDs, connections, and polling groups, you can gather valuable data during configuration backups. Logs and debugging tools make it easy to troubleshoot and optimize your SNMP Polling setup.