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SNMP overview

Contributors netapp-barbe netapp-aherbin netapp-dbagwell
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You can configure SNMP to monitor SVMs in your cluster to avoid issues before they occur, and to respond to issues if they do occur. Managing SNMP involves configuring SNMP users and configuring SNMP traphost destinations (management workstations) for all SNMP events. SNMP is disabled by default on data LIFs.

You can create and manage read-only SNMP users in the data SVM. Data LIFs must be configured to receive SNMP requests on the SVM.

SNMP network management workstations, or managers, can query the SVM SNMP agent for information. The SNMP agent gathers information and forwards it to the SNMP managers. The SNMP agent also generates trap notifications whenever specific events occur. The SNMP agent on the SVM has read-only privileges; it cannot be used for any set operations or for taking a corrective action in response to a trap. ONTAP provides an SNMP agent compatible with SNMP versions v1, v2c, and v3. SNMPv3 offers advanced security by using passphrases and encryption.

For more information about SNMP support in ONTAP systems, see TR-4220: SNMP Support in Data ONTAP.

MIB overview

A MIB (Management Information Base) is a text file that describes SNMP objects and traps.

MIBs describe the structure of the management data of the storage system and they use a hierarchical namespace containing object identifiers (OIDs). Each OID identifies a variable that can be read by using SNMP.

Because MIBs are not configuration files and ONTAP does not read these files, SNMP functionality is not affected by MIBs. ONTAP provides the following MIB file:

  • A NetApp custom MIB (netapp.mib)

ONTAP supports IPv6 (RFC 2465), TCP (RFC 4022), UDP (RFC 4113), and ICMP (RFC 2466) MIBs, which show both IPv4 and IPv6 data, are supported.

ONTAP also provides a short cross-reference between object identifiers (OIDs) and object short names in the traps.dat file.

Note The latest versions of the ONTAP MIBs and `traps.dat `files are available on the NetApp Support Site. However, the versions of these files on the support site do not necessarily correspond to the SNMP capabilities of your ONTAP version. These files are provided to help you evaluate SNMP features in the latest ONTAP version.

SNMP traps

SNMP traps capture system monitoring information that is sent as an asynchronous notification from the SNMP agent to the SNMP manager.

There are three types of SNMP traps: standard, built-in, and user-defined. User-defined traps are not supported in ONTAP.

A trap can be used to check periodically for operational thresholds or failures that are defined in the MIB. If a threshold is reached or a failure is detected, the SNMP agent sends a message (trap) to the traphosts alerting them of the event.

Note ONTAP supports SNMPv1 traps and, staring in ONTAP 9.1, SNMPv3 traps. ONTAP does not support SNMPv2c traps and INFORMs.

Standard SNMP traps

These traps are defined in RFC 1215. There are five standard SNMP traps that are supported by ONTAP: coldStart, warmStart, linkDown, linkUp, and authenticationFailure.

Note The authenticationFailure trap is disabled by default. You must use the system snmp authtrap command to enable the trap. For more information, see the man pages: ONTAP command reference

Built-in SNMP traps

Built-in traps are predefined in ONTAP and are automatically sent to the network management stations on the traphost list if an event occurs. These traps, such as diskFailedShutdown, cpuTooBusy, and volumeNearlyFull, are defined in the custom MIB.

Each built-in trap is identified by a unique trap code.