PRTG Tutorial: What is SNMP and How to Monitor it
Here is a free 30-day trial of our monitoring software: www.paessler.com/prtg
Watch our tutorial and you will get a short introduction to SNMP and all SNMP-based sensors in PRTG. At the end you will be able to set up a SNMP sensor.
SNMP monitoring software: All in one for professionals
– Find out what applications and servers are using up your bandwidth
– Avoid performance bottlenecks
– Deliver better quality of service to your users by being proactive
– Reduce costs by buying bandwidth and hardware according to actual load
What is SNMP?
SNMP stands for Simple Network Management Protocol and consists of three key components: managed devices, agents, and network-management systems (NMSs). The protocol is a set of standards for communication with devices in a TCP/IP network. SNMP monitoring is useful for anyone who is responsible for servers and network devices such as hosts, routers, hubs and switches. It lets you keep an eye on network and bandwidth usage, and track important issues such as uptime and traffic levels.
The advantages of SNMP Monitoring with PRTG
SNMP sensors
PRTG comes with several preconfigured SNMP sensors. Among these is a series of sensors developed especially for device manufacturers such as Cisco, HP, Dell, and Synology. The SNMP Custom Sensor also lets you monitor a number of other devices from a variety of different manufacturers via SNMP.
Built-in alarm features
Our SNMP server monitoring software is equipped with a built-in alarm feature. You’re free to set the threshold values and alert method (email, SMS, or a free push notification to your smartphone) any way you please. PRTG includes a customizable notification system which you can define according to your own personal needs.
Auto Discovery
The PRTG Auto Discovery facilitates your search. With this feature, all of the available devices in your network which are switched on for SNMP monitoring are checked, and suitable sensors are created, automatically. Your initial monitoring will thus be set up in the blink of an eye! You can then get down to its fine-tuning.
Reports
Reports are also included in the free SNMP server monitoring software. Among other things, they feature clear and comprehensible charts. One of the times these reports can come in handy is when your hardware is under heavy strain and you need to convince your higher-ups to provide you with the funds for an upgrade.
Need support?
SNMP versions (SNMP V1, V2c, or V3) can vary from device to device. Should you encounter issues while setting up your SNMP tools for Windows, the Paessler Support Team (https://www.paessler.com/support) will be happy to offer you their expert advice and assistance. In general, our support team answers inquiries within 24 hours. With SNMP tools like the SNMP Tester, you can detect and debug problems. Simply send your log files to our support team for analysis.
Use PRTG as an SNMP Trap Receiver
All in one, no extra cost: that is our philosophy. With PRTG, the full range of features is included. There are no hidden fees or additional upgrades to pay for. This is also true if you wish to use your monitoring for SNMP traps. Using PRTG as a trap receiver is simple! For we’ve created an appropriate sensor – which is also available in the free version – to help you get started.
SNMP traps: With SNMP monitoring, monitoring software usually sends small data packets to target devices in order to request various information from them. This in turn triggers response packets from the monitored devices for SNMP manager. The upside of SNMP traps is that devices automatically send messages to the SNMP server monitoring software in the event of crucial incidents, without first being requested to do so.
5 advantages of SNMP monitoring
Super reliability
In general, network monitoring with SNMP is extremely reliable. PRTG offers many sensors adapted to the various versions (SNMP V1, SNMP V2c, and SNMP V3) and different manufacturers.
Minimal bandwidth usage
SNMP monitoring requires a minimum amount of bandwidth. As an administrator, you therefore get the overview you need and the control that goes with it, without putting too much strain on your network.
Low CPU load
Like the bandwidth, the processor is barely affected. The CPU load of SNMP V1 and V2c is nearly imperceptible, even with broader monitoring including several thousand sensors.
Compatibility
Almost all of the major device manufacturers (including Cisco, Dell, and HP) offer the Simple Network Management Protocol. For many devices, it is the only protocol used to read values.
Platform-independence
SNMP is a platform-independent standard. Activate the SNMP service in your Windows computer or configure the SNMP daemon in Linux. SNMP is also available for macOS. You can therefore incorporate all your computers into the holistic SNMP management software PRTG.
PRTG Tutorials are presented by Paessler https://www.paessler.com/
Also have a look at our blog https://blog.paessler.com/
by PRTG Network Monitor
simple network management protocol
