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Assign SNMP

Monitor > Assign SNMP

The Assign SNMP page creates SNMP alerts for SNMP devices discovered using a LAN Watch. An alert is a response to an alarm condition.

A SNMP set is a set of MIB objects used to monitor the performance of SNMP enabled network devices. The SNMP protocol is used because an agent cannot be installed on the device. You can assign alarm thresholds to any performance object in a SNMP set. If you apply the SNMP set to a device, you can be notified if the alarm threshold is exceeded. The following methods can be used to configure and assign SNMP sets to machine IDs.

  • SNMP quick sets - Creates and assigns an device-specific SNMP set based on the objects discovered on that device during a LAN Watch. SNMP quick sets are the easiest method of implementing SNMP monitoring on a device.
  • SNMP standard sets - These are usually generic SNMP sets that are maintained and applied to multiple devices. A quick set, once created, can be maintained as a standard set.
  • SNMP individualized sets - This is a standard SNMP set that is applied to an individual device and then customized manually.
  • SNMP auto learn - This is a standard SNMP set that is applied to an individual device and then adjusted automatically using auto learn.
  • SNMP types - This is a method of assigning standard SNMP sets to devices automatically, based on the SNMP type determined during a LAN Watch.

Typically the following procedure is used to configure and apply SNMP sets to devices.

  1. Discover SNMP devices using Monitor > LAN Watch.
  2. Assign SNMP sets to discovered devices using Monitor > Assign SNMP. This can include quick, standard, individualized or auto learn SNMP sets.
  3. Display SNMP alarms using Monitor > SNMP Log or Dashboard List.

The following additional SNMP functions are available and can be used in any order.

  • Optionally review the list of all imported SNMP objects using Monitor > Monitor Lists.
  • Optionally maintain SNMP sets using Monitor > SNMP Sets.
  • Optionally add an SNMP object using Monitor > Add SNMP Object.
  • Optionally assign a SNMP type to an SNMP device manually using Monitor > SNMP Type.
  • Optionally write values to SNMP devices using Monitor > Set SNMP Values.

Individualized SNMP Sets

You can individualize SNMP set settings for a single machine.

  1. Select a standard SNMP set using the <Select Monitor Set> drop-down list.
  2. Assign this standard SNMP set to a SNMP device. The SNMP set name displays in the SNMP Info / SNMP Set column.
  3. Click the individualized monitor set icon in the SNMP Info / SNMP Set column to display the same options you see when defining a standard SNMP set. An individualized SNMP set adds an (IND) prefix to the name of the SNMP set.
  4. Make changes to your new individualized SNMP set. These changes apply only to the single SNMP device it is assigned to.

    Note: Changes to a standard SNMP set have no affect on individualized SNMP sets copied from it.

Auto Learn Alarm Thresholds for SNMP Sets

You can enable Auto Learn alarm thresholds for any standard SNMP set you assign to selected SNMP devices. This automatically fine-tunes alarm thresholds based on actual performance data on a per SNMP device basis.

Each assigned SNMP device generates performance data for a specified time period. During that time period no alarms are triggered. At the end of the Auto Learn session, the alarm threshold for each assigned SNMP device is adjusted automatically based on the actual performance of the SNMP device. You can manually adjust the alarm threshold values calculated by Auto Learn or run another session of Auto Learn again. Auto Learn cannot be used with individualized SNMP sets.

To apply Auto Learn settings to selected SNMP devices:

  1. Select a standard SNMP set using the <Select SNMP Set> drop-down list.
  2. Click Auto Learn to display the Auto Learn popup window. Use a wizard to define parameters used to calculate alarm threshold values.
  3. Assign this standard SNMP set, modified by your Auto Learn parameters, to selected SNMP devices.

Once Auto Learn is applied to a machine ID and runs for the specified time period, you can click the override auto learn icon for a specific SNMP device and manually adjust the calculated alarm threshold values. You can also re-run Auto Learn again, using a new session of actual performance data to re-calculate alarm threshold values.

To apply Auto Learn settings to selected SNMP devices:

  1. Select a standard SNMP set using the <Select SNMP Set> drop-down list.
  2. Click Auto Learn to display the Auto Learn popup window. Use a wizard to define parameters used to calculate alarm threshold values.
  3. Assign this standard SNMP set, modified by your Auto Learn parameters, to selected SNMP devices.

Once auto learn is applied to a machine ID and runs for the specified time period, you can click the override auto learn icon for a specific SNMP device and manually adjust the calculated alarm threshold values. You can also re-run Auto Learn again, using a new session of actual performance data to re-calculate alarm threshold values.

Quick Sets

The SNMP Info link page displays a list of SNMP objects provided by the specific SNMP device you selected. These objects are discovered by performing a limited SNMP "walk" on all discovered SNMP devices each time a LAN Watch is performed. You can subsequently define device-specific SNMP sets called quick sets and associate alerts with these quick sets. Quick sets can be individualized for a single device. The standard version of the quick set can be shared with other administrators and applied to similar devices throughout the VSA. The prefix (QS) is used to distinguish quick set names from other kinds of SNMP sets.

  1. Discover SNMP devices using Monitor > LAN Watch.
  2. Assign SNMP sets to discovered devices using Monitor > Assign SNMP.
  3. Click the SNMP info link in the Assign SNMP page to display a list SNMP objects that apply to the specific SNMP device you selected.

Display SNMP alarms using Monitor > SNMP Log or Dashboard List.

To Create a SNMP Alert

  1. Check any of these checkboxes to perform their corresponding actions when a an alarm condition is encountered:
    • Create Alarm
    • Create Ticket
    • Run Script
    • Email Recipients
  2. Set additional email parameters.
  3. Select the SNMP set to add or replace.
  4. Check the SNMP device to apply the alert to.
  5. Click the Apply button.

To Cancel a SNMP Alert

  1. Select the SNMP device checkbox.
  2. Click the Clear button.

    The alert information listed next to the SNMP device is removed.

Passing Alert Information to Emails and Scripts

The following types of monitoring alert emails can be sent and formatted:

  • Monitoring threshold alarm
  • Monitoring trending threshold alarm
  • Monitoring exit alarm state notification

Note: Changing this email alarm format changes the format for all monitor set and SNMP set emails.

The following variables can be included in your formatted email alerts and in scripts.

Within an Email

Within a Script

Description

<ad>

#ad#

alarm duration

<ao>

#ao#

alarm operator

<at>

#at#

alert time

<av>

#av#

alarm threshold

<cg>

#cg#

event category

<db-view.column>

not available

Include a view.column from the database. For example, to include the computer name of the machine generating the alert in an email, use <db-vMachine.ComputerName>

<dv>

#dv#

SNMP device name

<gr>

#gr#

group ID

<id>

#id#

machine ID

<ln>

#ln#

monitoring log object name

<lo>

#lo#

monitoring log object type: counter, process, object

<lv>

#lv>

monitoring log value

<mn>

#mn#

monitor set name

 

#subject#

subject text of the email message, if an email was sent in response to an alert

 

#body#

body text of the email message, if an email was sent in response to an alert

Create Alarm

If checked and an alarm condition is encountered, an alarm is created. Alarms are displayed in Monitor > Dashboard List, Monitor > Alarm Summary and Reports > Logs > Alarm Log.

Create Ticket

If checked and an alarm condition is encountered, a ticket is created.

Run Script

If checked and an alarm condition is encountered, a script is run. You must click the select script link to choose a script to run. You can optionally direct the script to run on a specified range of machine IDs by clicking the this machine ID link. These specified machine IDs do not have to match the machine ID that triggered the alarm.

Email Recipients

If checked and an alarm condition is encountered, an email is sent to the specified email addresses.

  • The email address of the currently logged in administrator displays in the Email Recipients field. It defaults from System > Preferences.
  • Click Format Email to display the Format Alert Email popup window. This window enables you to format the display of emails generated by the system when an alarm condition is encountered.
  • If the Add to current list radio option is selected, when Apply is clicked alert settings are applied and the specified email addresses are added without removing previously assigned email addresses.
  • If the Replace list radio option is selected, when Apply is clicked alert settings are applied and the specified email addresses replace the existing email addresses assigned.
  • If Removed is clicked, all email addresses are removed without modifying any alert parameters.
  • Email is sent directly from the KServer to the email address specified in the alert. The SMTP service in IIS sends the email directly to the address specified. Set the From Address using System > Configure.

Select Monitor Set

Select SNMP sets from the Select SNMP Set list, then click the Apply button to assign the SNMP set to selected machine IDs. You may assign more than one SNMP set to a machine ID. Add or edit SNMP sets using Monitor > SNMP Sets.

Add Monitor Set

Adds the selected SNMP set to selected SNMP devices.

Replace Monitor Set(s)

Adds the selected SNMP set to selected SNMP devices and removes all other SNMP sets currently assigned to selected SNMP device.

Apply

Applies the selected SNMP set to selected SNMP devices.

Clear

Clears the assignment of a selected SNMP set from selected SNMP devices.

Clear All

Clears all SNMP sets assigned to selected SNMP devices.

Select All/Unselect All

Click the Select All link to check all rows on the page. Click the Unselect All link to uncheck all rows on the page.

Name / Type

The name returned by the ARP protocol when a LAN Watch is performed.

Device IP

The IP address of the SNMP device.

MAC Address

The MAC address of the SNMP device.

SNMP Info

Displays the name returned by the SNMP protocol when a LAN Watch is performed. Click the SNMP Info link to display the SNMP objects for this SNMP device.

SNMP Sets

Displays the list of SNMP sets assigned to a SNMP device.

- Edit - Always displays next to an SNMP set. Click this icon to set header parameters to those matching the selected SNMP device.

- Override auto learn values - Displays if Auto Learn is applied to this standard SNMP set. Click this icon to display or change the actual values calculated by Auto Learn for this SNMP set on this SNMP device.

- Individualized monitor set - Displays if Auto Learn is not applied to this standard SNMP set. Click this icon to create or make changes to a copy of this standard SNMP set that is individualized for this SNMP device. An individualized SNMP set adds an (IND) prefix to the name of the SNMP set.

ATSE

The ATSE response code assigned to machine IDs or SNMP devices:

  • A = Create Alarm
  • T = Create Ticket
  • S = Run Script
  • E = Email Recipients

Email Address

A comma separated list of email addresses where notifications are sent.