SNMPv2-MIB

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Organization: IETF SNMPv3 Working Group

Last Updated: 2002-10-16

Category: Routing Protocols, SNMP Framework

Description: Defines core managed objects for the SNMP entity itself, including system description, uptime, contact information, and SNMP protocol statistics.

IPNetwork Monitor uses several OIDs from this MIB in network discovery and polling the applicable devices. Start monitoring SNMPv2-MIB with a free 30-day trial of IPNetwork Monitor.

What Is SNMPv2-MIB?

SNMPv2-MIB is a vendor-neutral IETF standards module (RFC 3418) that defines the core managed objects for the SNMP entity itself, including basic system identity (sysDescr, sysObjectID, sysContact, sysName, sysLocation), device uptime (sysUpTime), and the services the device offers (sysServices), plus a table of supported MIB modules (sysORTable) and SNMP protocol-level statistics under snmpMIBObjects. It exposes system-level identity and configuration data alongside operational counters describing the SNMP agent's own protocol activity. This module is foundational for monitoring software status: sysUpTime is the canonical way to detect a device or agent restart (reboot), sysDescr typically reports the software/firmware version string, and sysORTable reveals which MIB capabilities the agent currently supports, all of which are basic first checks in any health-monitoring workflow. It is depended upon by essentially every SNMP management application as the baseline system-identity module, and it imports textual conventions from SNMPv2-TC and conformance macros from SNMPv2-CONF. It is implemented on virtually every SNMP-capable device — servers, routers, switches, printers, and more — as the most universally polled MIB for basic reachability and identity checks, and it is one of the first modules network engineers obtain when downloading the SNMPv2-MIB as part of setting up a new monitoring station.

IPNetwork Monitor allows you to monitor SNMP objects defined in SNMPv2-MIB. Use the built-in SNMP Monitoring Browser to explore available variables, view their current values and descriptions, and select the objects you want to monitor. You can then create SNMP monitors, configure thresholds, and receive alerts when monitored values change.

Supported Devices

vendor-neutral, standards-based MIB, not tied to a specific manufacturer
applies to any SNMP-capable device (servers, routers, switches, printers)

Monitoring Examples

A monitoring system would poll sysUpTime on a regular interval and flag an unexpected drop to a small value as evidence the device rebooted, while polling sysDescr to confirm which software/firmware version string the device reports after that reboot. It would also poll sysContact and sysLocation to verify inventory metadata is current, and check sysORTable to confirm which additional MIB capability groups (for example a vendor's hardware-monitoring MIB) the agent currently advertises as supported.

What Can Be Monitored

system uptime (reboot detection)
system description/software version string
system contact and location
system services offered
supported MIB module table
SNMP protocol statistics

Imported Objects

From SNMPv2-CONF

MODULE-COMPLIANCE
NOTIFICATION-GROUP
OBJECT-GROUP

From SNMPv2-SMI

Counter32
MODULE-IDENTITY
NOTIFICATION-TYPE
OBJECT-TYPE
TimeTicks
mib-2
snmpModules

From SNMPv2-TC

DisplayString
TestAndIncr
TimeStamp

How to Use in IPNetwork Monitor

Example using sysUpTime OID:

Select any SNMP-capable device (a server, router, switch, or printer) as the target host to create a monitor — the SNMP service should be up and running on it. Click New Monitor, then check SNMP Custom on the Favorites tab, click Next, and confirm the host. On the next page, click Select... to open the built-in SNMP MIB Browser and type sysUpTime into the Find box to locate it in the OID tree, then select it and click OK. It reports how long, in hundredths of a second, the management portion of this system has been running since it was last re-initialized. On the monitor's Main parameters page you can set the target's SNMP port (default 161), credentials, polling interval, and other settings — see the SNMP Monitor help for details. On the State conditions and Alerting tabs, configure when the monitor should change state and trigger an alert; since this is a TimeTicks-type OID, Value bounds is the most useful condition here — trigger an alert if the value is unexpectedly low (e.g. under 10 minutes), since that indicates a recent, possibly unplanned, reboot. Click Finish to create the monitor; you can adjust any parameter later.

OIDs

OID symbolic	OID numeric	Type	Access	Description
NTF authenticationFailure	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.5.5			An authenticationFailure trap signifies that the SNMP entity has received a protocol message that is not properly authenticated. While all implementations of SNMP entities MAY be capable of generating this trap, the snmpEnableAuthenTraps object indicates whether this trap will be generated.
NTF coldStart	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.5.1			A coldStart trap signifies that the SNMP entity, supporting a notification originator application, is reinitializing itself and that its configuration may have been altered.
snmp	1.3.6.1.2.1.11
snmpBasicCompliance	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.1.2			The compliance statement for SNMPv2 entities which implement the SNMPv2 MIB. This compliance statement is replaced by snmpBasicComplianceRev2.
snmpBasicComplianceRev2	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.1.3			The compliance statement for SNMP entities which implement this MIB module.
snmpBasicNotificationsGroup	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2.7			The basic notifications implemented by an SNMP entity supporting command responder applications.
snmpCommunityGroup	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2.9			A collection of objects providing basic instrumentation of a SNMP entity which supports community-based authentication.
INT snmpEnableAuthenTraps	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.30	INTEGER	read-write	Indicates whether the SNMP entity is permitted to generate authenticationFailure traps. The value of this object overrides any configuration information; as such, it provides a means whereby all authenticationFailure traps may be disabled. Note that it is strongly recommended that this object be stored in non-volatile memory so that it remains constant across re-initializations of the network management system.
snmpGroup	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2.8			A collection of objects providing basic instrumentation and control of an SNMP entity.
C32 snmpInASNParseErrs	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.6	Counter32	read-only	The total number of ASN.1 or BER errors encountered by the SNMP entity when decoding received SNMP messages.
C32 snmpInBadCommunityNames	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.4	Counter32	read-only	The total number of community-based SNMP messages (for example, SNMPv1) delivered to the SNMP entity which used an SNMP community name not known to said entity. Also, implementations which authenticate community-based SNMP messages using check(s) in addition to matching the community name (for example, by also checking whether the message originated from a transport address allowed to use a specified community name) MAY include in this value the number of messages which failed the additional check(s). It is strongly RECOMMENDED that the documentation for any security model which is used to authenticate community-based SNMP messages specify the precise conditions that contribute to this value.
C32 snmpInBadCommunityUses	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.5	Counter32	read-only	The total number of community-based SNMP messages (for example, SNMPv1) delivered to the SNMP entity which represented an SNMP operation that was not allowed for the SNMP community named in the message. The precise conditions under which this counter is incremented (if at all) depend on how the SNMP entity implements its access control mechanism and how its applications interact with that access control mechanism. It is strongly RECOMMENDED that the documentation for any access control mechanism which is used to control access to and visibility of MIB instrumentation specify the precise conditions that contribute to this value.
C32 snmpInBadValues	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.10	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP PDUs which were delivered to the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status field was `badValue'.
C32 snmpInBadVersions	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.3	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP messages which were delivered to the SNMP entity and were for an unsupported SNMP version.
C32 snmpInGenErrs	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.12	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP PDUs which were delivered to the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status field was `genErr'.
C32 snmpInGetNexts	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.16	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Get-Next PDUs which have been accepted and processed by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpInGetRequests	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.15	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Get-Request PDUs which have been accepted and processed by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpInGetResponses	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.18	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Get-Response PDUs which have been accepted and processed by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpInNoSuchNames	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.9	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP PDUs which were delivered to the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status field was `noSuchName'.
C32 snmpInPkts	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.1	Counter32	read-only	The total number of messages delivered to the SNMP entity from the transport service.
C32 snmpInReadOnlys	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.11	Counter32	read-only	The total number valid SNMP PDUs which were delivered to the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status field was `readOnly'. It should be noted that it is a protocol error to generate an SNMP PDU which contains the value `readOnly' in the error-status field, as such this object is provided as a means of detecting incorrect implementations of the SNMP.
C32 snmpInSetRequests	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.17	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Set-Request PDUs which have been accepted and processed by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpInTooBigs	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.8	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP PDUs which were delivered to the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status field was `tooBig'.
C32 snmpInTotalReqVars	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.13	Counter32	read-only	The total number of MIB objects which have been retrieved successfully by the SNMP protocol entity as the result of receiving valid SNMP Get-Request and Get-Next PDUs.
C32 snmpInTotalSetVars	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.14	Counter32	read-only	The total number of MIB objects which have been altered successfully by the SNMP protocol entity as the result of receiving valid SNMP Set-Request PDUs.
C32 snmpInTraps	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.19	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Trap PDUs which have been accepted and processed by the SNMP protocol entity.
snmpMIB	1.3.6.1.6.3.1			The MIB module for SNMP entities. Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2002). This version of this MIB module is part of RFC 3418; see the RFC itself for full legal notices.
snmpMIBCompliances	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.1
snmpMIBConformance	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2
snmpMIBGroups	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2
snmpMIBObjects	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1
snmpNotificationGroup	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2.12			These objects are required for entities which support notification originator applications.
snmpObsoleteGroup	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2.10			A collection of objects from RFC 1213 made obsolete by this MIB module.
C32 snmpOutBadValues	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.22	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP PDUs which were generated by the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status field was `badValue'.
C32 snmpOutGenErrs	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.24	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP PDUs which were generated by the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status field was `genErr'.
C32 snmpOutGetNexts	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.26	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Get-Next PDUs which have been generated by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpOutGetRequests	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.25	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Get-Request PDUs which have been generated by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpOutGetResponses	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.28	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Get-Response PDUs which have been generated by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpOutNoSuchNames	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.21	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP PDUs which were generated by the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status was `noSuchName'.
C32 snmpOutPkts	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.2	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Messages which were passed from the SNMP protocol entity to the transport service.
C32 snmpOutSetRequests	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.27	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Set-Request PDUs which have been generated by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpOutTooBigs	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.20	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP PDUs which were generated by the SNMP protocol entity and for which the value of the error-status field was `tooBig.'
C32 snmpOutTraps	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.29	Counter32	read-only	The total number of SNMP Trap PDUs which have been generated by the SNMP protocol entity.
C32 snmpProxyDrops	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.32	Counter32	read-only	The total number of Confirmed Class PDUs (such as GetRequest-PDUs, GetNextRequest-PDUs, GetBulkRequest-PDUs, SetRequest-PDUs, and InformRequest-PDUs) delivered to the SNMP entity which were silently dropped because the transmission of the (possibly translated) message to a proxy target failed in a manner (other than a time-out) such that no Response Class PDU (such as a Response-PDU) could be returned.
snmpSet	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.6
snmpSetGroup	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2.5			A collection of objects which allow several cooperating command generator applications to coordinate their use of the set operation.
TES snmpSetSerialNo	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.6.1	TestAndIncr	read-write	An advisory lock used to allow several cooperating command generator applications to coordinate their use of the SNMP set operation. This object is used for coarse-grain coordination. To achieve fine-grain coordination, one or more similar objects might be defined within each MIB group, as appropriate.
C32 snmpSilentDrops	1.3.6.1.2.1.11.31	Counter32	read-only	The total number of Confirmed Class PDUs (such as GetRequest-PDUs, GetNextRequest-PDUs, GetBulkRequest-PDUs, SetRequest-PDUs, and InformRequest-PDUs) delivered to the SNMP entity which were silently dropped because the size of a reply containing an alternate Response Class PDU (such as a Response-PDU) with an empty variable-bindings field was greater than either a local constraint or the maximum message size associated with the originator of the request.
snmpTrap	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.4
OID snmpTrapEnterprise	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.4.3	OBJECT IDENTIFIER	accessible-for-notify	The authoritative identification of the enterprise associated with the trap currently being sent. When an SNMP proxy agent is mapping an RFC1157 Trap-PDU into a SNMPv2-Trap-PDU, this variable occurs as the last varbind.
OID snmpTrapOID	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.4.1	OBJECT IDENTIFIER	accessible-for-notify	The authoritative identification of the notification currently being sent. This variable occurs as the second varbind in every SNMPv2-Trap-PDU and InformRequest-PDU.
snmpTraps	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.5
snmpWarmStartNotificationGroup	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2.11			An additional notification for an SNMP entity supporting command responder applications, if it is able to reinitialize itself such that its configuration is unaltered.
STR sysContact	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.4	DisplayString	read-write	The textual identification of the contact person for this managed node, together with information on how to contact this person. If no contact information is known, the value is the zero-length string.
STR sysDescr	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.1	DisplayString	read-only	A textual description of the entity. This value should include the full name and version identification of the system's hardware type, software operating-system, and networking software.
STR sysLocation	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.6	DisplayString	read-write	The physical location of this node (e.g., 'telephone closet, 3rd floor'). If the location is unknown, the value is the zero-length string.
STR sysName	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.5	DisplayString	read-write	An administratively-assigned name for this managed node. By convention, this is the node's fully-qualified domain name. If the name is unknown, the value is the zero-length string.
OID sysObjectID	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.2	OBJECT IDENTIFIER	read-only	The vendor's authoritative identification of the network management subsystem contained in the entity. This value is allocated within the SMI enterprises subtree (1.3.6.1.4.1) and provides an easy and unambiguous means for determining `what kind of box' is being managed. For example, if vendor `Flintstones, Inc.' was assigned the subtree 1.3.6.1.4.1.424242, it could assign the identifier 1.3.6.1.4.1.424242.1.1 to its `Fred Router'.
STR sysORDescr	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.9.1.3	DisplayString	read-only	A textual description of the capabilities identified by the corresponding instance of sysORID.
sysOREntry	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.9.1		not-accessible	An entry (conceptual row) in the sysORTable.
OID sysORID	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.9.1.2	OBJECT IDENTIFIER	read-only	An authoritative identification of a capabilities statement with respect to various MIB modules supported by the local SNMP application acting as a command responder.
INT sysORIndex	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.9.1.1	INTEGER	not-accessible	The auxiliary variable used for identifying instances of the columnar objects in the sysORTable.
TIM sysORLastChange	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.8	TimeStamp	read-only	The value of sysUpTime at the time of the most recent change in state or value of any instance of sysORID.
sysORTable	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.9		not-accessible	The (conceptual) table listing the capabilities of the local SNMP application acting as a command responder with respect to various MIB modules. SNMP entities having dynamically-configurable support of MIB modules will have a dynamically-varying number of conceptual rows.
TIM sysORUpTime	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.9.1.4	TimeStamp	read-only	The value of sysUpTime at the time this conceptual row was last instantiated.
INT sysServices	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.7	INTEGER	read-only	A value which indicates the set of services that this entity may potentially offer. The value is a sum. This sum initially takes the value zero. Then, for each layer, L, in the range 1 through 7, that this node performs transactions for, 2 raised to (L - 1) is added to the sum. For example, a node which performs only routing functions would have a value of 4 (2^(3-1)). In contrast, a node which is a host offering application services would have a value of 72 (2^(4-1) + 2^(7-1)). Note that in the context of the Internet suite of protocols, values should be calculated accordingly: layer functionality 1 physical (e.g., repeaters) 2 datalink/subnetwork (e.g., bridges) 3 internet (e.g., supports the IP) 4 end-to-end (e.g., supports the TCP) 7 applications (e.g., supports the SMTP) For systems including OSI protocols, layers 5 and 6 may also be counted.
system	1.3.6.1.2.1.1
systemGroup	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.2.2.6			The system group defines objects which are common to all managed systems.
TIK sysUpTimeEx	1.3.6.1.2.1.1.3	TimeTicks	read-only	The time (in hundredths of a second) since the network management portion of the system was last re-initialized.
NTF warmStart	1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.5.2			A warmStart trap signifies that the SNMP entity, supporting a notification originator application, is reinitializing itself such that its configuration is unaltered.

FAQ

How is SNMPv2-MIB used as the first health check when a new device gets added to a monitoring station?
SNMPv2-MIB is the baseline module implemented on virtually every SNMP-capable device -- servers, routers, switches, printers -- and it's usually the first thing polled: sysUpTime is the canonical way to detect whether a device or its agent has recently rebooted, sysDescr typically reports the software/firmware version string, and sysORTable shows which MIB capabilities the agent currently supports. Together these give a quick baseline identity and health check before any device-specific monitoring is configured.

Besides identity information, what does SNMPv2-MIB tell you about the SNMP agent's own behavior?
It also exposes snmpMIBObjects, a set of protocol-level statistics describing the SNMP agent's own activity, alongside sysContact, sysName, and sysLocation for administrative identification and sysServices describing what layers of service the device offers. This makes it useful not just for checking the monitored device, but for verifying the SNMP agent itself is behaving normally.

RFC description

Core SNMPv2 MIB (RFC 3418) containing system group, SNMP statistics, and trap management objects.

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