PRTG Using SNMP

PRTG

José Jorge Pineda M.

Certified Monitoring Expert – Certified Training Partner – Certified PRTG
Installer

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 Simple Network Management Protocol

SNMP
SNMP: Is the most basic and Agents
SNMP GET
commonly used method for
obtaining data regarding
network performance and
bandwidth usage, mainly
because of its setup
simplicity and frugal use of
network resources. It is also Network
Administered
used to acquire information Management RESPONSE
Device
from other devices which System
provide metrics using this (PRTG)
protocol.
SNMP Protocol Components

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Simple Network Management Protocol
How does SNMP work?
Target device must have SNMP SNMP GET
enabled and set correctly. The
monitoring application sends
SNMP GET requests to the
device which in time responds
with the requested information.
Data can be related to traffic or Admin
other operating parameters of Management
Station Monitored
the device. RESPONSE Devices

It is imperative that UDP

packages can reach the Data acquisition using SNMP
intended device.

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How does SNMP work?
PRTG requests the device’s
temperature reading with OID
1.3.6.1.4.1.37954.2.1.1.1.0

PRTG
NETWORK MONITOR

The device responds with the found value 28.7

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SNMP Versions

SNMP supports 3 versions:

Community String User/Password Encription

SNMP V1 X

SNMP V2 X

SNMP V3 X X

All three require some form of authentication to respond to requests. It should

be handy to request information from the device.

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SNMP Tester

Free download tool, SNMP

Tester, allows you to run simple
SNMP requests against a device
in the network.
It is based on the same
SNMP technologies built
into PRTG Network Monitor.
It enables you to debug SNMP
activities to find
communication or
authentication issues.

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SNMP Tester
SNMP Tester Lab

Lab 1.1 Test SNMP connection

Use SNMP Tester to connect to device 192.168.200.2 using SNMP version v2c and community
string public

No error message will be received.

A value for the requested OID will be received.

1-2

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Custom Sensors - SNMP
Business Case
After an Auto-discovery performed on a
device, no additional sensors related to the
nature of the device have been created.
For example:

Printer: Antivirus:
Why is that?
Ink/Toner Level # detected viruses
Paper Level Signature update
UPS: Environment:
Voltage Temperature
Battery time Vibration
Amperage Humidity An Auto-discovery ran on an environmental device produces no
specific sensors, only Ping and Traffic sensors

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Custom Sensors - SNMP

Business Case:
We need to monitor an
Environmental Control Device
which exposes these metrics
via SNMP:
Temperature
Humidity
Dew point
CO2 Level
Motion Sensor
Vibration

Kentix LAN Environmental Monitor

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Custom Sensors - SNMP

Every device relying on SNMP offers a

sensor catalogue using a standard-
structured file known as the MIB File.

This catalogue – provided by the device

manufacturer - broadens the sensor list
available and allows visualization of
specific metrics provided by the device.

MIB Hierarchy

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Custom Sensors - SNMP
1
MIBS and OID’s are generally
provided by the device
manufacturers 2

There are 2 types of objects inside a

MIB file:
Scalar Objects which define a single
instance in the device, and
Tabular Objects which define multiple
3
instances using a table.
1. Name of the Module or Agent

2. Table identified by [ ]
3. Single values
MIB Hierarchy

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Custom Sensors - SNMP 2 Obtain MIB file from manufacturer

Required Steps

1
Configure
SNMP
on target device
Device’s MIB File

4 Create the appropriate SNMP Custom Sensor

3 Use Paessler MIB Importer

www.paessler.com

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Custom Sensors - SNMP
Relational Diagram of MIBS
MIB File PRTG Server
MIB Importer

MIB Import OIDLIB Generation APC UPS.oidlib

Output:
MIB Characteristics:
MIB Importer provides: OID Library in XML format
Hierarchical view of the OIDs
Validation of MIB content and syntax The resulting .oidlib file
Provided by device manufacturer
Permits handpicked OID selection must reside in a special
Concept applies to hardware and software
OIDs that provide numeric values are imported folder on the PRTG Server
Some MIB’s might provide 1000’s of OIDs
Works with any version of SNMP MIBs

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Custom Sensors - SNMP
Laboratory: MIB Analysis
Using MIB Importer import
the MIB file of the target
device and review it. Sensor Name

OID – Unique identifier

Gauges: Integer
Counters: Unit
Cummulative
values Strings:
Texts
Description
1

Operations

DEMO

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Custom Sensors - SNMP
Laboratory: MIB Analysis
Obtain OIDs for these sensors:
Temperature Value Sensor Name
Humidity Value
Dewpoint Value OID – Unique identifier
CO2 Value
Motion Value
Vibration Value

Note: You will obtain OIDs from the

Description
MIB Importer exercise

1-3

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Custom Sensors - SNMP
Idevice P and Port
Laboratory: MIB Analysis Start button

Use SNMP Tester to verify

the OIDs you obtained:
No firewall/antivirus blockage SNMP Version
and credentials
SNMP agent correctly
configured in the device
Verify IP and Port
SNMP Credentials
Result type and
format
OID to use

1-4

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Custom Sensors - SNMP
2

Laboratory: SNMP Custom Sensor description

1. In the Environment Monitor Device

create an SNMP Custom Sensor
2. Configure accordingly

OID Identifier

Sensor expects numeric value Result (floating)

DEMO Divide by 10

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 Custom Sensors - SNMP
Laboratory: Create Environmental device group
Create a new device group under Local Probe and name it Environmental
Do not declare credentials
Do not perform an Autodiscovery

The group should be created empty

1-5

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 Standard Sensors- SNMP
Laboratory: Create device and use Autodiscovery
Add the Environmental Monitor Device to the group Environmental Control with:
IP Address: 192.168.200.4 and SNMP V1 Public and use the Autodiscovery option

After a few minutes note that no environmental specific sensors are automatically created

1-6

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 Custom Sensors - SNMP
Laboratory: Create a Custom Sensor
Add SNMP Custom Sensor for the Temperature OID obtained in Lab 1-3

Name the sensor Temperature

Use OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.37954.2.1.1.1.0 in field
OID
Use C as unit string
Use Absolute Float
Divide by 10 to assign a decimal point

1-7
DO

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 Custom Sensors - SNMP
Laboratory: Create an Advanced Custom Sensor
Add SNMP Custom Advanced Sensor for the 2 OIDs obtained in Lab 1-3

Name the sensor Motion/Vibration

Name Channel #1 Motion
Enable Channel #2
Use OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.37954.2.1.5.1.0
Name Channel #2 Vibration
Use 1.3.6.1.4.1.37954.2.1.12.1.0

1-8
DE8O

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 Custom Sensors - SNMP
Partially selecting from the
MIB file
Business Case
Some MIBs have
thousands of sensors:
It is better not to
import them all!
Only valuable Allows for handpicked
sensors should be selection of sensors
imported
Therefore, use the
Partial Selection feature
of MIB Importer

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 Custom Sensors - SNMP

Selected sensor import from We can select only

MIB file those sensors we wish
to import to PRTG thru
We recommend to import the OIDLIB file.
only those sensors which
provide a monitoring value to
our management.

DEMO 1-10

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 Custom Sensors - SNMP Folder where OIDLIBS
must be stored on the
Laboratory: Saving partial selection to a file PRTG Server

This option is enabled

only if MIB importer is run
in the PRTG Server

For partial selection and

import use these 2
options

1-11

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 Custom Sensors - SNMP
Laboratory: Using the OIDLIB file
Step 1: The SNMP Step 2: Select the OIDLIB Step 3: Select those
Library sensor allows from the pulldown field sensors you wish from
the use of OIDLIB files the list shown

Sensor

Which OID
Select the sensors

1-12
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 Thank You!

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