5Chapter 5
Configuring SNMP Information

When a device is discovered by a distributed poller, information about the device is retrieved and stored in the device object database. In order for the distributed poller to properly access SNMP information on SNMP agents, basic SNMP configuration information must be configured.

5.1 Running the SNMP Configuration Panel

The administrator uses the "Configure SNMP Information" option from the Administrator main panel to set up SNMP community information, timeouts, retries and backoff methods.

To run the SNMP Configuration Tool, select the "Configure SNMP Information" icon from the administrator main panel:

  1. Log in as the administrator. The Administrator Main Panel appears:
    Figure: Administrator Main Panel

  2. Select the "Configure SNMP Information" icon from the Administrator Main Panel. The SNMP Configuration Panel appears.
    Figure: Configure SNMP Information Main Panel

5.2 The SNMP Configuration Panel Areas

The SNMP Configuration Panel contains the following areas:

Folder Tabs

The four folder tabs allow SNMP information to be configured for defaults, IP address ranges, specific IP address or a URL (file) containing a list of IP addresses.

Icon Bar

The icon bar allows entries in the display area to be manipulated. Copy, paste, save, new entry and delete entry icons are available.

Configuration Display Area

the display area shows the configured entries and their settings. Items are evaluated from top to bottom in the panel such that if there are ambiguous entries, the entry at the top takes precedent. For example, if there is an entry for 129.1.1.1-129.1.1.256 and an entry for 129.1.1.1-129.1.1.64, then the entry at the top of the list takes precedent.

Menu Bar

provides program options, file operations, copy, paste etc.

Status Bar

shows the status of the SNMP panel and state of the configuration file. The status bar can be either "Ready" or "Configuration Modified". Saving the configuration will toggle the state of the status from "Configuration Modified" to "Ready".

5.2.1 Icon Bar

Tools in the Icon bar allow quit modification and manipulation operations.


Figure: Icon Bar
Icon Bar Tools

- Save the current configuration. Allows the changed configuration to be make permanent. As changes are made, they are stored in a temporary location until a save if performed. Exiting the panel without saving changes will generate a confirmation message warning about the loss of data.

- Copy the selected row. The arrow indicator on the left side of the table shows the selected row. When the "Copy" button is selected, the contents of the row is stored in the copy buffer. The "copy" icon is disabled in the "default" folder tab since defaults cannot be copied and added.

- Paste the selected row. When a paste is selected, the contents of the copy buffer is then pasted back into the table as a new row. New rows are always added at the end of the list. The "paste" icon is disabled in the "default" folder tab since new defaults cannot be added. The "paste" icon is disabled unless a row has been copied using the "copy" option.

- Add a new row. When the "New" \ button is selected, a new row is added to the table at the bottom of the table. The cell contents contain default information which refers back to the global SNMP defaults. When a new row is built which contains cells that have edit requirements (e.q. IP Address must be xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx), a cell is built which contains "placeholder" information. These placeholder cells contain syntactically correct entries which pass edits but do not contain "real" information (e.q. IP address will be "255.255.255.255). The "new" icon is disabled in the "default" folder tab since new defaults cannot be added.

- Delete the selected row. The arrow indicator on the left column of the table shows the selected row which will be deleted. There is no confirmation message before the delete occurs. There is no way to "undo" a deleted row (except for exiting the panel without saving). The delete icon is disabled in the "default" folder tab since defaults cannot be deleted. The delete icon is disabled if there is not a row selected in the table.

5.2.2 Folder Tabs

The folder tabs select the type of configuration for setting SNMP information. Information in folder tabs can be combined to build complex sets of wildcard and specific node information. For example, a range configuration can be used to set the timeout for an entire section of the network and combined with a specific node configuration to override the range for that one device.

Configurations are evaluated from most specific to most general; i.e. a specific node configuration overrides a range configuration which overrides the default configuration

If a node is not in the specific, url or range configuration, it is polled using the default SNMP configuration information in the "default" folder tab.

"Default" Folder Tab
Figure: Configure SNMP Information Main Panel

The default folder holds the information used when no other SNMP configuration applies. Configuration information includes community strings, retries, timeouts and backoffs.

timeout

Amount of time in seconds which the poller will wait for an SNMP response after sending an SNMP request. Time is specified in "x.ys" format where x is the number of seconds, y is the number of tenths of seconds and the letter s indicates seconds. Currently, the only valid suffix is "s".

Retries

the number of additional times that the poller will retry the device if the response is not received within "timeout" seconds.

Get Community

when an SNMP request is sent to the device, this string is used for the GET request.

Set Community

when an SNMP request is sent to the device, this string is used for the SET request.

"Ranges" Folder Tab
Figure: Ranges Folder Tab

The "ranges" folder tab holds the information used for configuring large blocks of the network. Configuration information includes community strings, retries, timeouts and backoffs.

From IP

The starting IP address within the IP address range. The IP address entered here is inclusive; i.e. the "From IP" address is considered in the range.

To IP

The ending IP address within the IP address range. The IP address entered here is inclusive; i.e. the "To IP" address is considered in the range.

Timeout

Amount of time in seconds which the poller will wait for an SNMP response after sending an SNMP request to a device in the range. Time is specified in "x.ys" format where x is the number of seconds, y is the number of tenths of seconds and the letter s indicates seconds. Currently, the only valid suffix is "s".

Retries

the number of additional times that the poller will retry a device in the range if a response is not received within "timeout" seconds.

Get Community

when an SNMP request is sent to a device in this range, this string is used for the GET request.

Set Community

when an SNMP request is sent to a device in this range, this string is used for the SET request.

"Specific Node" Folder Tab
Figure: Specific Node Folder Tab

The "specific node" folder tab holds the information about a specific node which is different from every other node. Configuration information includes community strings, retries, timeouts and backoffs.

Specific IP

The IP address of the node.

Timeout

Amount of time in seconds which the poller will wait for an SNMP response after sending an SNMP request. Time is specified in "x.ys" format where x is the number of seconds, y is the number of tenths of seconds and the letter s indicates seconds. Currently, the only valid suffix is "s".

Retries

Retries - the number of additional times that the poller will retry the device if the response is not received within "timeout" seconds.

Get Community

when an SNMP request is sent to this device, this string is used for the GET request.

Set Community

when an SNMP request is sent to this device, this string is used for the SET request.

URL Folder Tab
Figure: URL Node Folder Tab

The "URL" folder tab holds the information about a list of specific nodes which is different from every other node. The URL is typically a file location which contains a list of IP addresses. Configuration information includes community strings, retries, timeouts and backoffs.

URL

The location where the list of nodes can be obtain. The is is a file of IP addresses of the node.

Timeout

Amount of time in seconds which the poller will wait for an SNMP response after sending an SNMP request. Time is specified in "x.ys" format where x is the number of seconds, y is the number of tenths of seconds and the letter s indicates seconds. Currently, the only valid suffix is "s".

Retries

the number of additional times that the poller will retry the device if the response is not received within "timeout" seconds.

Get Community

when an SNMP request is sent to devices in the list, this string is used for the GET request.

Set Community

when an SNMP request is sent to devices in the list, this string is used for the SET request.

When the URL file browser button is selected for a row, the file chooser appears. This allows the user to selected a file from the local file system rather than type in a local file name and location.
Figure: URL File Chooser

5.2.3 Configuration Display Area

The configuration display area is a table of information related to the particular type of folder tab. Columns of variables define the allowable parameters which can be configured. The rows define the configured variables for a range, specific node or URL list of nodes.

New Row

When a new row is added to the Configuration Display Area, a placeholder row is built which contains default information. After the row is added, non-default information is entered into the row to configure those IP addresses:
Figure: New Row

Incorrect Cell Syntax

Cells cannot be left in an inconsistent state during editing. When a row which is in the process of being edited loses focus on another part of the panel, a warning message is displayed:
Figure: Error Message Box

5.2.4 Menu Bar

The menu bar allows mouse and keyboard control of basic functions in the SNMP Configuration panel. The menus can be accessed using accelerator keys from the keyboard as well as the mouse.


Figure: Edit Menu Bar