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Thread: Can SNMP monitor PC's/Servers?

  1. #1
    Senior Member
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    Can SNMP monitor PC's/Servers?

    Hi there,

    I've seen some stuff written about SNMP and how it can monitor network devices (e.g routers) that support the SNMP protocol. However i was wondering, can SNMP be used to monitor PC's/Servers running modern operating systems (e.g Windows).

    Thanks.
    -

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Dec 2004
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    Yes, that is what snmp is for really.
    If your asking wheather or not it can monitor browsing, etc.. then no
    snmp is just a application level protocol by itself. Used to monitor NICs and such.

    here are some referances:

    http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/...o_doc/snmp.htm

    http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/SNMP.html

    http://www.faqs.org/faqs/snmp-faq/part1/

    http://www.faqs.org/faqs/snmp-faq/part2/

    First Page on google
    The fool doth think he is wise, but the wiseman knows himself to be a fool - Good Ole Bill Shakespeare

  3. #3
    Just Another Geek
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    You can use SNMP to monitor networkdevices but you can also use it to monitor cpuload, memory usage, drivespace etc.. of your workstations/servers...

    Edit: Just be careful when enabling SNMP on windows servers..
    It uses the default community strings public/private (change this!),
    it's a clear text protocol (everybody can read your community strings),
    because it's UDP it's easy to spoof,
    windows snmp will allow you to read/change useraccounts.

    SNMPv2 and v3 uses better authentication and/or encryption but IIRC windows only supports v1.
    Oliver's Law:
    Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Thanks alot for your replies, that info was very useful.

    Do you know whether it is possible to access SNMP from Java ?

    Thanks agian.
    -

  5. #5
    Senior Member
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    Excuse me, is there an airport nearby large enough for a private jet to land?

  6. #6
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    Jan 2004
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    Sorry to keep banging on about this but i just have one more question relating to SNMP monitoring ...

    If SNMP agents use MIB's (mangement information base) to store their information and in order to get to a certain variable of information you need to know the path (e.g. 1.5.2.1.2) down the tree to location it, then how do you know what that path is. I mean is there a standard set of path/variables that works for all devices supporting SNMP or do you need to find for example microsoft documentation in order to work out the MIB structure of their products?
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  7. #7
    Just Another Geek
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    MIBs are like DNS.. The only thing it does is make it easier for the user to remember.

    Just like www.antionline.com is actually 63.146.109.212..
    So is mgmt.mib-2.system.sysContact the same as 2.1.1.7 but a lot easier to remember.

    http://e-docs.bea.com/snmpagnt/v210/mibref/1tmib.html
    Oliver's Law:
    Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

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