SNMP Discovery
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) discovery is used to discover network devices such as switches, routers, printers, and non-Windows devices including Linux and Unix machines. This page explains how to configure Credential Packs for SNMP and run SNMP-based discovery.
When to Use SNMP Discovery
SNMP discovery is appropriate for:
- Network hardware -- switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers
- Printers and print servers that support SNMP
- Linux and Unix machines that do not support WMI (though SSH may be preferable for these)
- Any device that exposes management data via SNMP
SNMP Versions
xAssets supports SNMP v1, v2, and v3. Each version requires different credential configuration:
SNMP v1 and v2
SNMP v1 and v2 use a community string for authentication. Create a Credential Pack with these settings:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name with no spaces (e.g., MySNMPPack) |
| Domain | . (a single period) |
| Username | . (a single period) |
| Password | The SNMP community string (e.g., public or your custom string) |
SNMP v3
SNMP v3 adds authentication and privacy (encryption). Create a Credential Pack with these settings:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name with no spaces (e.g., MySNMPv3Pack) |
| Domain | . (a single period) |
| Username | The SNMP v3 username |
| Password | The authentication password |
Then configure the SNMP-specific settings:
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Authentication Algorithm | MD5 or SHA |
| Authentication Password | The encryption key |
| Privacy Algorithm | DES or AES |
| Privacy Password | The privacy key |
TODO Screenshot:
ClickMenu "Discovery Scripts" | PrintScreen "itam-discovering-a-network-snmp-discovery-2"
Note: If the device uses SNMP v1 or v2, the password field expects the community string rather than a user password.
Running SNMP Discovery
- Create the appropriate Credential Pack as described above
- From the Discover menu, select Discover a Computer or IP Range
- Enter the IP address or range of the target network devices
- Select the SNMP Credential Pack from the Credentials drop-down
- Click OK to start the discovery
Configuring IP Ranges for Network Devices
When setting up IP ranges for scheduled SNMP discovery, set the Technology field to Network Devices in the IP range mapping. This tells the discovery engine to use SNMP rather than WMI for those addresses.
This configuration is managed under Discover > Prepare > Manage IP Ranges and Related Locations:
TODO Screenshot:
ClickMenu "Discovery Scripts" | PrintScreen "itam-discovering-a-network-snmp-discovery-3"
Common Issues
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No devices found | Wrong SNMP version in Credential Pack | Verify the SNMP version supported by the target device and match the Credential Pack |
| Authentication failure | Incorrect community string or credentials | Check the community string (v1/v2) or username/password (v3) with the network team |
| Partial data returned | Device does not support all queried SNMP OIDs | This is normal -- the discovery captures what is available |
| Timeout errors | Firewall blocking UDP port 161 | Ensure UDP port 161 is open between the Collection Server and the target devices |
Related Articles
- Credential Packs — creating and managing encrypted credential files
- Running Discovery — launching a discovery scan
- Editing Discovery Scripts — configuring which SNMP attributes to query
- Preparing for Discovery — setting up IP range mappings