Choosing SNMP Protocol Preferences

NetMRI provides finer control for SNMP protocols used in device discovery and device management. NetMRI allows for the discovery of devices using any of the three protocols SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, or SNMPv3.

Community string collection can be performed using SNMPv1 and/or SNMPv2c only. In previous releases, SNMPv1 was the required default. You may choose to define the default SNMP data collection protocol as the following:

• SNMPv1 only
• SNMPv2c only
• SNMPv2c as the default with SNMPv1 as a fallback for devices that support only SNMPv1

NetMRI automatically discovers and manages devices that support only the SNMPv1 protocol, regardless of setting. To define how NetMRI applies its SNMPv1 and SNMPv2 support for data collection, two Advanced Settings can be changed.

1. Go to the Settings icon > General Settings > Advanced Settings > Data Collection category. The SNMPv1 Data Collection Fallback setting prevents NetMRI from attempting to collect from a device that has a spurious or incorrect SNMPv2c credential, and will 'fall back' to SNMPv1 for collection.
2. Click the Actions icon and then choose Edit.
   
   • If you want SNMPv1 to be allowed for data collection, choose enabled for data collection;
   • If you want SNMPv2c to be the specific data collection protocol, choose disabled for data collection.
3. Click OK to commit settings.
4. Go to the Settings icon > General Settings > Advanced Settings–> Discovery category. The SNMPv1/SNMPv2c Discovery Version setting allows a choice between three options:

• • Use SNMPv1 for credential discovery.
  • Use SNMPv2c for credential discovery.
  • Use both SNMPv1/SNMPv2c for credential discovery.

If you choose the third option, Use both SNMPv1/SNMPv2c for credential discovery, NetMRI continues to use SNMPv1 for credential discovery on devices that support only SNMPv1, and uses SNMPv2c whenever it is supported by target devices. Using the Use both SNMPv1/SNMPv2c option imposes some time delay for credential collection, in cases where non-working/incorrect credentials are attempted during data collection.

5. Click the Actions icon and then choose Edit.

1. • For the exclusive use of SNMPv1, choose the Use SNMPv1 for credential discovery option.
   • For the exclusive use of SNMPv2c without fallback to SNMPv1, choose the Use SNMPv2c for credential discovery option.
   • For default use of SNMPv2c with fallback to SNMPv1 for devices that support that protocol, choose the Use both SNMPv1 and SNMPv2c for credential discovery option.

6. Click OK to save your settings.