/
SNMP v3 monitoring - install guide

SNMP v3 monitoring - install guide

Owned by Marius Wergeland Storsten
Last updated: about 5 hours ago
2 min read

Prerequisites

  • Server or Virtual Machine (VM) where Telegraf will be installed.

  • Network devices with SNMP v3 enabled. (v2 can also be used, just comment out all lines related to v3 configuration).

  • Required authentication and encryption credentials.

Step 1: Download and Install Telegraf

  1. Download Telegraf from InfluxData's official website.

  2. Install Telegraf by following the on-screen instructions.

  3. Confirm the installation by running:

    telegraf --version

Step 2: Configure SNMP Monitoring

  1. Obtain the SNMP v3 configuration file (eyer_telegraf_snmp_generic_v3.conf).

  2. Open the configuration file in a text editor.

  3. Edit the following fields with your SNMP credentials:

    sec_name = "your_username" auth_protocol = "SHA" auth_password = "your_auth_password" sec_level = "authPriv" priv_protocol = "AES" priv_password = "your_private_password" agents = [ "udp://192.168.1.1" ]

  4. Ensure the protocols match your device’s settings (options are listed in the config file).

  5. Save the file.

Step 3: Install Net-SNMP for MIB Lookups

Some operating systems can do MIB lookup without any additional components. You can try to run Telegraf without completing the steps in this section. If you experience any errors, complete section 3.

  1. Download Net-SNMP from SourceForge. As a recommended alternative, Gosmi can be used instead. Please see more information in this article.

  2. Choose the appropriate version (x64 or x86).

  3. Ensure you select the "with Windows extensions" option during installation.

  4. After installation, restart the command prompt and verify the installation by running:

    snmptranslate

    • If the command returns usage instructions, the installation was successful.

    • If not, reinstall Net-SNMP with administrative privileges.

Step 4: Run Telegraf with SNMP Configuration

  1. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt.

  2. Navigate to the Telegraf installation directory (install folder might be different):

  3. Run Telegraf with the SNMP configuration file:

  4. If everything is configured correctly, Telegraf should start collecting SNMP data.

  5. Check for any error messages. If you see:

    1. This means that either your OS is not able to do MIB translation, or that your netsnmp is not properly installed. See “Troubleshooting” section below.

  6. Register the Telegraf agent as a service and start it(see instructions per OS). With Windows use

Troubleshooting

  • If Net-SNMP is not working:

    • Check if it's listed under "Programs and Features."

    • Reinstall it with administrative privileges.

  • If Telegraf doesn’t start correctly:

    • Verify all credentials in the config file.

    • Ensure Telegraf and Net-SNMP paths are correctly set in the system.

  • Restart the VM / server if necessary.

This guide provides a structured approach to setting up SNMP monitoring with Telegraf. If issues persist, recheck the configuration and installation steps, ensuring all dependencies are correctly installed.