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The following information regarding the ipMonitor SNMP Assistant will help answer your questions about this website-driven utility:
How the ipMonitor SNMP Assistant Works
Download and install the SNMP Assistant
SNMP Assistant Technical Support
SNMP Assistant Tutorial Resources
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
The ipMonitor SNMP Assistant is a system tray utility. Once installed on your computer, it works in conjunction with ipMonitor's MIB Database repository, located at http://support.ipmonitor.com/snmp_center.aspx.
The SNMP Assistant is designed to run in the background while you browse through ipMonitor's SNMP Center, allowing you to scan and collect information from your SNMP-enabled network devices and applications. Once the data is gathered and returned, it is then displayed in HTML format within a new browser window.
In addition to scanning or walking SNMP objects, the SNMP Assistant translates ASN.1 numeric notation (computer readable) into named notation (human readable), and then displays formatted, easy-to-read results (similar to Microsoft's snmputil.exe or Net-SNMP's snmpwalk.exe).
If you are using the ipMonitor Network Monitoring software, this 'scan' process allows you to discover whether a specific device supports an object defined by a particular MIB, as well as the type of information it will return. From there, you can quickly and easily use the SNMP tools available in ipMonitor to configure one of the SNMP Monitors to begin monitoring the device.
The SNMP Assistant is designed to provide value to network administrators running both the ipMonitor Network Monitoring software, and those running any number of other network management solutions.
ipMonitor Customers using the SNMP Assistant:
- Do not require a 3rd party SNMP scan utility to retrieve OID information that can be monitored by ipMonitor's SNMP Monitor(s).
- Can determine whether MIBs should be added to their ipMonitor installation's MIB database prior to compiling and downloading them.
- Are able to access and use the ipMonitor managed MIB Database repository, taking advantage of various advanced viewing options for OIDs and MIBs.
- Are able to walk SNMP objects, then translate and format the results for readability when working with SNMP-enabled applications and equipment.
- Download the ipMonitor SNMP Assistant utility from the ipMonitor Support Portal:
- Extract the contents of the ZIP file to the location of your choice. The utility does not have to be located within the ipMonitor folder.
- Run the ipmsnmpassist.exe file to launch the SNMP Assistant.
Once enabled, the SNMP Assistant icon will appear on your taskbar:
It will also automatically be added to your Startup tasks:
To remove the SNMP Assistant from your system, simply delete the executable file from the directory where it is located and remove the Assistant from your Startup directory (The SNMP Assistant is a self-contained utility).
The SNMP Assistant can be moved from one directory to another, without affecting its ability to locate your network devices or obtain information from ipMonitor's SNMP Center. In addition, the location link created in the Startup directory will also change to reflect its new path the next time the utility is run.
Customers of the ipMonitor Network Monitoring Software with an "Active" Service Plan are entitled to receive both telephone and email support during the term of their Service Agreement Plan.
Non-ipMonitor customers (the general public) are entitled to receive support by email, or through FAQs and Tutorials published at support.ipmonitor.com, however the following restrictions apply: SolarWinds.Net ("Licensor") reserves the right to provide technical assistance on a priority basis and to limit the amount of technical support any single individual or company receives. At its sole discretion, SolarWinds.Net further reserves the right to make available or deliver technical support in any format it deems to be sufficient. SolarWinds.Net shall not be responsible for its inability to provide services or resolve specific issues for any reason even if the company has been so advised.
The Technical Support department is open from 9am to 5pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except holidays. Support technicians can be reached by telephone at 819.772.4134, or by email at support@ipmonitor.com.
If you require assistance while using the ipMonitor SNMP Assistant, please refer to the following tutorials created to help you get the most from the SNMP Assistant:
Scan a Network Device
This tutorial illustrates how to scan SNMP-enabled devices on your network to discover whether certain MIB Objects are supported by a specific device.
Query the MIB Repository
This tutorial walks you through using the SNMP Assistant to query ipMonitor's MIB repository directly from your desktop.
How does the SNMP Assistant compare to other SNMP Walk Utilities?
The SNMP Assistant is not the only utility available on the Internet that can walk MIBs. The following capabilities distinguish the SNMP Assistant from these other utilities:
- The SNMP Assistant converts ASN.1 numeric notation to named notation, without first compiling the MIB for your device into the utility (or its database).
- The SNMP Assistant formats scan results for easy readability. For example, table results can be viewed in either a horizontal or a vertical layout within the browser window. In comparison, other utilities typically dump results to a console window, with only the most basic formatting.
- The SNMP Assistant works in conjunction with ipMonitor's MIB Database repository located at https://support.ipmonitor.com. This means that ipMonitor's MIB Database is fully managed, so you always get quality resources.
Are there any security issues I should be concerned with when using the SNMP Assistant?
No. The SNMP Assistant launches the scan from the local machine on port 49152. This port is hard-coded within the utility and should not interfere with any other devices or applications running on the system.
The utility locates the device being scanned, collects data and renders it in HTML format for display. None of the data is transferred off your network unless you choose to 'translate' the data returned from a "Walk". SolarWinds.Net has no access to any of the information obtained through the SNMP Assistant.
In addition, configuration data such as the IP address and community used to locate the device is stored encrypted on a per-user basis in an XML file.
How does the "translate" feature work?
When the SNMP Assistant "Scans" a system, the Assistant will only receive enough information to display the returned SNMP object information in the most readable format.
The following OID types indicate that translation will not be required:
String
Counter
Integer
Enumerated Value
IP Address
Gauge
Time-Ticks
Table
Row
To display these SNMP objects, you must click the "translate" button to look up relevant information located within the ipMonitor Support Portal. This requires sending the OID and the associated numerical value to support.ipmonitor.com.
How can I correctly view the SNMP objects found during a "Walk" without having to translate them?
To prevent the results from being translated, locate the appropriate item with one of the icons above, and perform an individual scan.
Is the SNMP Assistant intrusive? Will it affect my system's performance while it runs?
No. The SNMP assistant is a lightweight, self-contained utility. It is not intrusive, and it will not affect your machine's performance.
Do I need the SNMP Assistant utility to be able to browse ipMonitor's MIB database?
No. You can browse the content available in the SNMP Center directly, by name or category. You can also browse the entire MIB OID tree and drill down to view MIBs, parent nodes, OIDs, OID types, status, syntax, value sizes, access and definitions without using the SNMP Assistant.
Will the SNMP Assistant run on a Unix server?
No. The SNMP Assistant must be installed on a Windows machine.
Will the SNMP Assistant scan Unix-based applications and devices?
Yes. Although the SNMP Assistant is a Windows program, it can be used to scan any SNMP-enabled device on a Windows, Unix, or other major operating system. It can also be used to scan devices manufactured by most network companies, such as Dell, Cisco, APC, BorderWare, IBM, etc.
What if I can't find the MIB I need in your database?
If you are an ipMonitor customer and would like additional MIBs added to the SNMP Center, please contact our Technical Support department with a list of the MIBs you require. The Technical Support department can be reached at support@ipmonitor.com.
For information on other features and concepts related to those discussed in this article, refer to the following ipMonitor resources:
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Last Updated: May 9, 2007 | What did you think of this topic?